THE BEAST WITH NO NAME
by Silvertayl 57
Summary: The brothers are in Oregon on the hunt for an unknown beast responsible for the disappearances of 37 people in the Ochoco State Forest. When both of them are wounded by The Beast With No Name the hunt becomes a battle for survival.
1. Chapter 1

**THE BEAST WITH NO NAME**

_A Supernatural Story by:____Silvertayl_

**Disclaimer: **

All recognizable characters remain the property of their respective creators and owners.

**Story Summary:**

The brothers are in Oregon on the hunt for an unknown beast responsible for the disappearances of 37 people in the Ochoco State Forest. When both of them are wounded by The Beast With No Name the hunt becomes a battle for survival.

**Chapter 1**

_**Ochoco National Park, Oregon**_

The beast was there in the small cleared campsite clearly visible in the moonlight, it stood on its hind legs head raised to the sky, sniffing at the cool night air.

Suddenly the head dropped turning in his direction; it had caught his scent on the breeze, its fluorescent lime-yellow close together eyes seeming to pierce the dense trees straight to him; it knew he was there, 40 feet into the trees that circled the campsite; leaning heavily against the thick base of a tree, keeping as much of his weight as possible off his mauled bleeding leg. His stomach was clenched in fear and anticipation, knowing the beast's highly tuned sense of smell had given his position away.

_So far, so good._ It was part of his plan to let the beast catch his scent so it would come after him.

The beast opened its mouth, revealing a row of long yellowed pointy teeth, an ear piercing bellow filled with anger and hatred was aimed in his direction.

The beast dropped onto all four of its muscular legs, and with unbelievable speed for a creature of its size and bulk bounded to the edge of the cleared camping area, and into the trees, right towards him, it would be upon him in a heartbeat.

He turned and ran as fast as his damaged, barely functioning leg would allow; the low hanging branches whipping against the exposed skin of his face and neck; leaving bloody gouges in their wake.

He might have been able to outrun it, but with the wounded leg he knew he had no hope of keeping ahead of it. There was no choice he had to draw it away from his brother who lay less than half mile away, unconscious and gravely wounded by the claws and teeth of the beast's mate. That was before he had killed it using the last of the silver bullets pumped into its hairy back.

If his plan worked and he survived he would then find some way to get help for his brother; even if it meant he had to carry him out. It wouldn't be until tomorrow morning when they failed to check in at the ranger's station that a search party would be dispatched to locate them; another twelve to eighteen hours before help reached them. He didn't think his brother had that long. When he'd left him on his quest to draw the beast away, his brother was going into shock from blood loss and almost unconscious.

So he would have to be the bait, to lure the beast hopefully to its death. There were many times he and his brother had done the same thing in the past; been bait to trap or kill something evil or supernatural or just a freak of nature, an abomination.

The beast was nearly upon him, he could hear the pounding of the things feet and the grunting noise it made as it ran getting louder with every agony filled step he took. But also with every step he was drawing it further away from the only person who mattered to him in the world.

The moonlight led the way showing him his goal; six feet was all that separated him from the trees that camouflaged the edge of a hundred and fifty foot drop.

No longer capable of running he staggered the final six feet to where he knew the edge of the drop was partially hidden by trees turning to face the beast; it was twelve feet away and closing fast. Without warning it pulled up and stopped three feet from him it was so close he could see saliva dripping from its snarling jaws and smell its hot rancid breath and the foul odor of its body.

He looked into its eyes, seeing a strange intelligence in the depths of the fleuro lime-green irises. "Come on what are you waitin' for? You got me, you fugly son of a bitch."

As if understanding his words the beast drew back and pounced, half ducking and taking a step to his right he felt the beast's powerful jaw glance off his left shoulder as it sailed past him and over the edge; it was still growling and snarling as it fell out of sight; then a series of thuds as the beast struck the side of the slope, the growling turned to grunts and then ceased.

The glancing blow to his shoulder was enough to unbalance him, forcing him to put weight on his injured leg which collapsed under the extra weight, his foot slipped over the edge the momentum of the movement forcing the rest of him to follow. His chin scraped along the ground as the lower half of his body slid over the edge. Desperately he reached his arms out and grasped at a low hanging spindly branch of pine tree beside him with his right hand clawing at the ground in front of him with the other; digging in his fingers in an attempt to anchor himself there and stop the downward motion of his body. He didn't want to follow the beast to his death impaled on a tree branch or smashed upon the rock strewn ground far below. He felt most of the fingers on his left hand dislocate and his fingernails snap off at the nail bed, pine needles burying deep into his right hand clutching onto the branch in a desperate grip. He tried to find some purchase against the side of the drop with his good leg, but couldn't find a foothold, the loose vertical section at the top of the drop making it virtually impossible. The toe of his boot slipped off the surface. Dislodged stones and earth falling away. His legs dangling free. And now the earth beneath his clawed fingers was crumbling away, he was slipping further over the edge, his fingers leaving furrows in the ground, his right hand slipped along the branch of the tree. It was then he knew he was going over he was not going to be able save himself to pull himself up weak as he was from the injury to his leg. The little strength and adrenaline he'd had to draw the beast away from his brother was exhausted; he was going to die and consequently so was his brother.

His fingers lost their grip as the edge gave way at the same time the end of the branch slipped through his fingers, and he felt himself falling; the cool night air rushing past him as he fell; then there was pain as his body hit then he tumbled and hit again more pain from the impact driving the breath from his lungs, this pattern of hit tumble hit, punctuated by pain repeated itself as he rolled, slid and bounced downwards like a human rubber ball, to certain death dashed on the boulders. Loose earth and rocks fell with him. His thoughts turned to his brother_. __'__I__'__m sorry I couldn't__save you, I tried, please forgive me, I love you bro__'__._

Consciousness mercifully left him when the side of his head collided with a tree two thirds of the way down.

His battered, broken and bleeding body finally came to rest at the bottom, splayed out on his back like a human sacrifice atop a large boulder, a mere fifteen feet from the body of the dead beast, its neck broken.

He was unaware he had succeeded in killing the beast, but at a terrible cost. The cost of his life and more importantly that of his brother.

_**Three Days Earlier**_

_**Econo Lodge, Prineville Oregon **_

Dean looked at his brother across the table strewn with empty food containers. Sam was reading from an article he'd pulled on the laptop.

"The three campers failed to check in at the ranger's station on their return date, a search party was dispatched, failing to locate any trace of the missing campers."

"So with those 3 it makes a total of thirty seven disappearances in that area of the forest... in how long?" Dean looked askance at Sam.

"Sixteen years, since ninety two." Sam answered without looking up.

"Well someone or something's been busy, could just be a grizzly?"

"A werewolf maybe?"

"Nar the Luna cycle's not right."

"It's not a wendigo; they only feed every twenty two to twenty three years."

"Could be some redneck backwoods men, another lot of Benders?"

"That's the only thing that fits unless... it's a chupacabra or a black dog?"

"No there'd be some remains left and they never found any, well not human remains anyway."

"So it's not werewolves, wendigos, chupacabras or black dogs, then what is it?"

"I dunno Sam. I think we should go to the ranger's station. Maybe they can shed more light on the situation? After all they were the last ones to see the campers alive."

_**Rangers Station Ochoco State Forest, Oregon**_

"I'm Dean Harrison and this is my brother Sam, we're private investigators hired by the family of Graham Tyler, to investigate his disappearance." Dean said as he and Sam flashed their fake IDs at the rather attractive dark haired dark eyed female ranger.

She glanced at the IDs and then held out her hand, saying. "I didn't know the family had hired someone." Her voice was deep and rich.

"His family is anxious to find out what happened, so here we are." Dean explained.

"Yeah me too. I'm ranger Tarni Benton, so how can I help you?"

"You were the last one to see Mr. Tyler alive so any information you can provide about that day would help us in our inquiries." Sam was using his earnest caring voice.

"Please take a seat." She indicated the seats opposite her desk.

After they were seated, Sam flipped open his notebook and waited for her to continue.

"We have strict procedures for hikers or campers using the forest. They have to fill out a form on the day of departure with their return date and approximate return time and the area of the forest they will be hiking or camping in its policy, we provide them with maps with all the trails marked clearly to avoid this kind of thing happening and they must stay on the marked trail there's a lot of dangerous terrain in the Ochoco." Ranger Benton said.

"Can we see a copy of that form that Mr. Tyler and his companions filled out?" Dean asked with his lady killer smile, his green eyes flashing with anticipation.

"Sure of course." She returned Dean's smile getting up from her seat.

She opened the large file against the wall the 2 desks and flipped through the file.

"We keep a copy for our records and they keep a copy as well." She said as she pulled out a green form and returned to her seat behind the desk handing it to Dean.

Dean read the form as Sam asked. "How long was it after their return date and time was a search begun?"

"We give them a twelve hour leeway; if after that they haven't checked in we begin the search."

Sam scribbled in his notebook.

"And no trace was found?" Dean looked at the ranger.

"We found where they were camping it was all torn up like a bear attack and we found blood. We searched the whole area for twenty four hours and no trace of any of them."

"You've had quite a number of people disappear in the forest, haven't you ranger?" Sam asked.

"Please call me Tarni, yes we have and it's hard to understand why, we take every precaution possible. But it is a wilderness area and there are bears."

"Tell me Tarni," Dean said leaning towards her, "what do you think happened to all these people?"

"Well the other ranger's theory is its grizzly attacks, but with grizzly's you find some remains, with these there's nothing, no human remains, it's…" she paused and then continued, "strange you know unusual."

They left a couple of minutes later with a copy of the form and a map with the trail the missing campers were following and the location of their campsite.

After they got into the Impala Sam said. "What do you think?"

"I think Tarni is hot."

"Dean, seriously." Sam said with roll of his eyes

Dean grinned. "Seriously? Tarni's right it's not a grizzly."

"You know what we have to do don't you?"

"We're gonna have to go into the forest to find out, aren't we?"

"Yep."

"Ah man I hate camping."

_**The Next Day in the Ochoco State Forest, Oregon**_

They were up early the next morning. Dean grumbled that he didn't think it necessary to be up quite so early.

They paid a second visit to the ranger's station; Sam said there were a few things he wanted to clarify with Tarni.

Dean joked that Sam just wanted to see her again.

"Admit it Sam you're just clutching at straws looking for an excuse to see her again."

"Shut up." Sam answered without heat.

That was all Dean needed to think he was right.

Tarni had greeted them warmly her dark eyes lingering a tad too long on Sam.

From there they went back into Prineville scouring the two streets of shops for the supplies they would need.

At the dusty molding smelling camping and army surplus store they purchased two sleeping bags, two large backpacks and water bottles.

They next stop was the drug store to restock their depleted first aid kit.

Next door was the local grocery store Sam pulled a cart from the long line next to the entrance.

Dean trailed behind behind disinterestedly as Sam tossed pre energy and trail bars and pre-packaged food provisions into the cart.

Sam rolled his eyes when Dean dumped two large bags of peanut M&M's and 2 bags of potato chips into the cart.

"Don't give me that look Sammy; these are an important provision and I'm not going into the wilderness without em."

"Two bags of M&M's and 2 bags of chips Dean?" Sam asked.

"Yeah well the M&M"s are on special two bags for the price of one."

"Alright but you're gonna carry them." Sam said before he turned away and pushed the cart towards the checkout.

"I don't recall asking you to carry them, Francis."

Dean had consumed half a bag of the chips before they even got back to the car.

Later that day as Dean had sharpened their knives against the whet stone and cleaned all the guns. Sam poured over the map of the forest so they could follow the same trail as the missing campers.

That night over a large surprisingly good steak dinner at a local steak house and a cold beer, they discussed which weapons they might need to kill whatever this thing was?

They decided to take hand guns sawed off shot guns loaded with consecrated iron rounds and silver bullets along with knives; the salt rounds wouldn't be necessary as this most definitely was not a spirit.

Early the next morning found them back at the ranger's station; filling out the appropriate paper work.

Tarni seemed happy to see them again; smiling as they entered. Her dark eyes lingered on Sam.

Tarni introduced them to the other ranger, Doug Jones a middle-aged balding man with a sour, closed expression.

He gave a derisive laugh before telling them he thought they were wasting their time and Tyler's family were wasting their money by employing them to find out what happened to him by going into the forest, as they'd already been over the area thoroughly and a grizzly was responsible for the disappearances of Graham Tyler and his two companions.

Tarni didn't seem to agree with him. Dean could tell by the look on her face.

On a map Tarni pointed out the danger spots and told them to be careful keeping to the marked trails.

She jokingly said. "I don't want to be sending out a search party for you two in a couple of days."

"We'll be fine." Sam said with a half smile.

"I sure hope so." Tarni replied.

- TBWNN -

They parked the car at the head of the trail and headed off along the trail Graham Tyler and his companions had taken.

Several hours later found the brothers trudging along a trail in single file Sam in the lead.

They each carried their backpacks full of supplies and weapons a water bottle attached at their waists and extra rounds for the sawn-off shot gun and a spare clip of silver bullets.

The trail meandered through the dense forest, climbing slightly as they got deeper into the forest.

Dean had time plenty of time to admire Mother Nature's work. The forest was a thing of beauty and majestic splendor. The only problem was all the fresh air made him hungry. As he walked he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a crumpled half full bag of peanut M&M's.

It was cool and dark in amongst the trees making it feel later than it actually was. Sam was surprised when he looked at his watch to see it was only mid afternoon, he continued walking for a few more minutes, hearing the noise behind him that had plagued him for the last half hour. The noise came again the rustling as Dean reached into the M&Ms bag to pull out yet another handful.

Sam walked in silence for a few minutes more then when he couldn't stand it he pulled up his brother bumped into him.

Without warning Sam stopped so suddenly that Dean ran into the back of him, exclaiming around a mouth full of the chocolate covered peanuts,

"Dude what's your problem?" 

Sam turned to his older brother, the pissy face look Dean knew so well plastered on his face.

"You wanna know what my problem is?" Without waiting for a reply he continued, "you, you and you're M&Ms."

Dean swallowed the candy saying. "I didn't hear you complaining when me and my M&Ms led you to the wendigo at Blackwater Ridge."

"That was different."

"Oh, how was it different?"

"It just was," Sam changed the subject by saying, "I think we should make camp soon, before we lose too much light according to the map there's a camping area a little way ahead. I think it may be the one where they found the remains of the camping gear."

"Whatever you say ranger Sam."

Sam turned back to the trail and started walking again; Dean smiled at Sam's back. The set of Sam's shoulders radiating his annoyance.

So Dean continued digging into the packet, making extra loud rustling noises with the bag waiting for a reaction.

Neither of them was prepared for what happened a minute later.

Sam later laid the blame on Dean saying it was his entire fault that he had distracted him so he'd walked off the side of the track without realizing.

"Hey Sam, you want some?" Dean held out the half empty bag rattling it for effect in the direction of Sam's back, knowing it would annoy Sam even more.

Sam kept walking turning his head to look at Dean over his shoulder. "Dude you know what you can do with your M&…" Before he could finish, Sam let out a startled cry and dropped from view between two trees.

Dean still had his hand out offering the M&Ms to Sam when instantly his hunter's instincts kicked in.

"What the hell?" Dean growled dropping the bag of round multicolored candy sending them rolling in all directions at the same time diving forward onto the ground the same hand that had been moments before holding onto the M&M's grasping at the spot where Sam had been a second before.

Luckily for Sam Dean's grasping hand snagged one of the straps of Sam's backpack. Dean twisted the strap around his hand feeling himself slide forward along the ground until his head and shoulders were pulled over the edge of what he at first thought was a hole Sam had inadvertently stepped into.

This was no hole. Dean found himself staring down at the rock and tree covered slope about one hundred and fifty feet to the ground below. Sam had somehow managed to step over the edge; his back was to the cliff. He was frantically trying to dig his heels into the slope behind him. His only support and only thing stopping him from going over was Dean's grip on the strap of his backpack.

Fear clenched in Dean's stomach, fear for his little brother, his father's words echoing in his ears. "_Take care of Sammy.__"_

Dean would gladly give his own life to keep his promise to their father. A steely determination strengthened his will his voice was calm as he stretched his free hand down to Sam.

"Sammy, reach up and grab my hand."

"I'll try." Sam gasped as he looked up at Dean's outstretched hand.

Sam reached up and back over his head and grasped at Dean's hand a couple of times before he managed to take hold crushing Dean's fingers in as firm a grip as he could in his awkward position. The part of the drop he had his back against was more or less vertical at the top; he pushed his heels against it trying to help as much as he could; all he did was dislodge stones and earth that tumbled almost lazily downwards and out of sight.

"I can't hold on for long." Sam gasped out.

"Don't worry little brother I'm not gonna let you fall." Dean said determinedly between gritted teeth.

Dean started to wriggle his hips and body backwards ever so slowly along the ground sharp rocks digging into his thighs and stomach as he edged backwards, he could feel Sam's full weight plus the extra weight of the heavy backpack pulling on the muscles in his arms and shoulders. His left shoulder still weak from being dislocated a month or so back, burned unmercifully letting him know he was overtaxing the weakened joint. The fingers of his hand tangled in the strap had gone numb as the circulation was cut off.

Still hanging on to Dean's fingers Sam could feel himself start to rise as Dean began to pull him back, he tried to help by pushing his heels in to almost vertical surface behind him take some of his own weight. After what felt like an eternity but in fact was only no more than a minute, his backpack scraped against the edge catching momentarily. When his butt and his thighs were back on the ground he was able to bend his knees up and grind his heels into the ground pushing backward until he and Dean were lying panting on the edge of the drop. The trees that had hidden the drop waving above them.

"You… okay…little…brother?" Dean asked between intakes of breaths.

"Yeah… thanks …to …you." Sam couldn't understand why he was out of breath, because it was Dean that had done the work. The only explanation was fear.

Dean patted Sam's shoulder. "You're welcome."

When they had recovered their breath, Sam rolled over onto his stomach and he and Dean peered over the edge, looking down the to the ground a hundred and fifty or so feet below; it was obvious to both of them how lucky Sam was that he was not lying at the bottom dashed into a hundred pieces.

Apart from the almost vertical section for the first three or four yards at the top it sloped away at a forty five degree angle, with stunted looking trees and bushes growing haphazardly all along the side and some larger boulders lodged into the slope at various places. At the bottom to one side a stream meandered its way through the dense trees. Large boulders lay at the bottom that at some time had most likely dislodged from the side and now lay in a jumbled heap below.

Having recovered his breath Dean looked sideways at Sam saying. "Ranger Sam took a bad step."

Sam gave a snorting laugh and said. "Watch out for the first the first step it's a big one," then added, "Thanks bro."

"Again, you're welcome."

They both looked down again.

"Hey Sam?" Dean asked.

"Yeah, what?"

Dean pointed down the drop saying." That's one more reason to add to my growing list of why I hate camping."

Sam just chuckled.

-TBWNN-

After their experience with the cliff they were both happy to see the camp site, they set up camp after unrolling their sleeping bags they gathered some wood and set a fire; lighting it up before the dusk had given way to night.

They sat staring into the mesmerizing flames of the fire it was when Dean saw Sam yawn for the third time in as many minutes he came to a decision.

"Sammy I'll take the first watch; you get some sleep you look done in."

"Must be all that fresh air and exercise; wake me when it's my watch." Sam said yawning again.

Sam moved slowly away from the fire getting into his sleeping bag which they had placed a few feet from the small but roaring fire.

"Sleep well Samantha, God knows you need your beauty rest."

"Ha, Ha." Sam said curling his lip. He placed the loaded shotgun next to him and was asleep in minutes.

Dean put some more wood on the fire and settled down to wait for what had taken the campers to hopefully show itself.

After an hour of listening to Sam's light breathing mingled with the night birds calling to each other Dean was bored and he found himself drifting off. So he started to quietly hum some Metallica, Zeppelin, AC/DC, music from all of his favorite mullet rock, as Sam called it, to pass the time. He had been once through his repertoire and was half way through the second when the night birds went silent moments later there was rustle in trees off to his left. He picked up his gun loaded with silver bullets and glanced across the fire to where Sam still slept blissfully unaware.

Dean moved to Sam's side, without taking his eyes off the trees surrounding the camp site he knelt down and gently shook Sam's shoulder; Sam came awake instantly, Dean was above him with a finger to his lips in a gesture for quiet.

With a little noise as possible Sam extricated himself from the sleeping bag picking up the shotgun from next to him he said in a whisper. "Is it here?"

"There's something in the trees to the left." Dean whispered back.

From the same general direction came a low eerie moaning sound like someone or something in pain.

Sam and Dean were now both up on their feet their weapons raised trained at the trees.

The moaning came again; it sounded about fifty feet from where they were, in the trees to their left.

Dean motioned to Sam to go to one side and for himself to the other, and they would come up on it from each side and hopefully trap it in the middle.

Silently with guns raised and ready, they moved away into the trees gradually coming in on an angle.

Stealthily they worked their way towards each other, after a minute or two Dean caught a glimpse of something in front of him in trees a moment before he heard a rifle cock. Sam's pale face came into view shot gun raised and ready to fire.

"Don't shoot it's me." Dean said, pointing his weapon down away from his brother.

"Where'd it go?" Sam asked lowering his own weapon away from his brother.

"I could have sworn it was around here," he paused and then added, "son of a bitch."

And with that he took off through the tree back the way he had come back towards their camp, dodging between the trees and hurdling over the lower undergrowth as fast as safety allowed in the limited light from the moonlight filtering through the trees.

"Dean what is it, where you going?"

Sam said as he took off after him following Dean's path emerging moments later from the trees into the camp site.

Dean breathing slightly elevated after the brief run stood in the middle of the wreckage that had a minute before been their camp site.

"What the hell." Sam said picking up the remains of the sleeping bag he had been sleeping in minutes earlier.

"It tricked us into leaving the camp, so it could ransack it." Dean said pushing the toe of his boot through the debris.

"How could it be two places at once? Doesn't make sense…unless…"

"There's more than one." Dean finished.

Sam nodded.

"I wonder if?" Dean said cryptically as he searched for and finding the remains of his backpack, he looked through it then threw it down onto the ground in disgust exclaiming for the second time in five minutes.

"_**Son of a bitch**__."_

"What?"

"Sneaky bastard has taken all the ammo, and my knife, _**damn it.**__"_ Dean said looking over at Sam.

Sam searched through the remains of his own backpack and found the same thing.

"Mine too and the shotgun rounds." He said dropping the ruined backpack onto the ground.

"Sam these things are smart, somehow they knew we were here to kill them, they knew that they had to disarm us, they were smart enough t to pull this off, one draws us away while the other one takes all the weapons and ammo, leaving us almost defenseless, what the hell are these things?"

"Dean, I've only got the rounds in the shotgun, what about you?"

Dean ejected the clip from his gun and looked at it in the moonlight. "Four silver bullets, that's it."

"Will it be enough?"

"It'll have to be."

"Do you think they'll come back tonight?"

"I dunno Sammy, but I don't think you'll be sleeping anymore tonight."

"Maybe we can track em in the daylight."

"And if we can't?"

They looked at each other and said in unison. "We're screwed."

_**To be continued…**_


	2. Chapter 2

**THE BEAST WITH NO NAME**

_A Supernatural Story by:____Silvertayl 57_

**Disclaimer****: **See Chapter 1

**Chapter 2**

_**Ochoco State Forest, Oregon**_

The beast or beasts didn't return and at first light when the sun teased at the tree tops, and the gray mist lifted from the ground dissipating into the crisp early morning air, they set out in an attempt to track the beasts.

Before leaving the camp they had put out the fire and gathered everything that wasn't a complete right off from their ruined and ransacked camp.

They followed possible signs that the beasts may have passed by, or that they had a lair close by. They checked out every trampled or flattened area of undergrowth, every broken branch, but never came anywhere close to locating the beasts; in a nut shell they found nothing. By mid afternoon he temperature had risen and so had their tempers they were frustrated, hot, tired and hungry.

Finding a fallen log, they sat Sam reached into the odd shaped bag that had been fashioned from the remains of the 2 backpacks and pulled out some of the provisions that the beasts had been thoughtful enough to leave for them.

"Here's your lunch." Sam said holding out something rectangular shaped in a clear cellophane wrapper.

Dean took the proffered item and looked in disgust at the brown colored energy bar Sam handed him.

"Hey Sam ever wonder why they didn't take these?" He said holding the bar in between 2 fingers like he thought it was something horrible.

Sam rolled his eyes. "I know that the bar is not gonna bite you, you're supposed to bite it."

Dean saw the eye roll. "Very funny, well I know why, carnivores don't eat health food bars and neither do I."

Sam paused in the act of divesting his own bar of the wrapper. "I'm so sorry, I'll just run along to the burger joint and get you a cheese burger and fries, shall I? "Sam matched and raised Dean's sarcastic tone.

Dean inclined his head towards the bag at Sam's feet. "Haven't you got anything else tucked away there?"

"No Dean that's all there is, if you don't wanna eat it, why don't you eat your M&Ms?"

Dean looked away into the forest and Sam almost missed Dean's answer spoken only slightly above a whisper. "I would if I had any left."

Sam nearly choked on his energy bar. "Dude, are you telling me you ate the whole lot?"

Dean looked away sheepishly, before answering. "Yeah."

"Dean that's just disgusting."

"No this is disgusting." Dean held up the energy bar.

"Well it's either that or you can go search out some berries."

Dean mumbled something under his breath and reluctantly tore the wrapper off the bar and bit a tiny piece off one corner.

Sam smiled his hazel eyes shining with mirth at the face Dean pulled as he nibbled hesitantly at the bar, chasing every teeny weensy bite with a mouth full of water from his canteen. Sam ate his own bar in silence. He had to admit that Dean was right, it was slightly disgusting, but it would be a cold day in hell when he'd admit that to Dean.

Dean was able to choke down the bar by swallowing a mouth full of water in between every vile tasting bite, so that as little as possible got anywhere near his tongue or taste buds.

"Sam I've been thinking." Dean said as he drowned the last piece of bar with water and swallowed it quickly.

"Oh no that can't be good."

"Very funny smart ass."

Sam laughed saying. "Okay what is it Einstein?"

"We still don't really know what we're up against, we've got very little ammo and limited weapons. I think maybe we should go back to Prineville and restock come back tomorrow and finish this; we'll be better prepared for them whatever they are."

Sam had been thinking along same lines and thought Dean's plan was a good one.

"Actually I agree with you."

""You do, what no eye roll or smart ass comments?"

Sam picked up the empty wrappers from their lunch stuffed them into the bag, recapped his water bottle hooking it back onto his belt as he stood up from the fallen tree and walked back to the trail heading in the direction of Prineville. He looked back at Dean still sitting in the same spot looking at Sam with a puzzled expression on his face.

"Dean what are you waiting for? Let's go."

Dean caught up to his brother and they walked on in single file enjoying the silence broken only by the unique sounds of the forest.

- TBWNN -

The sun was starting to wane throwing patches of muted sunlight across the trail; the temperature dropped steadily along with the light.

Walking in silence they passed close by the camping area, where they had spent an interrupted and mostly sleepless night.

Sam was in the front walking a few paces ahead when Dean spotted the almost concealed gap in the trees and trampled undergrowth leading away from the trail into a dense area of the forest. The area appeared to be a recently trodden path leading away from the trail back to Prineville.

"Hey Sam check this out." Dean stopped and squatted down beside the trampled ground.

Sam turned, coming back and joined Dean. Sam was amazed that Dean had spotted the barely there path.

"Good pick up, wanna follow it?" Sam said with a sideways glance at Dean.

"Absolutely." Dean nodded. "Ladies first."

"No you first age before beauty." Sam indicated that Dean should precede him.

"What's wrong Sam... scared?"

"No Dean I'm not scared. You discovered it I thought you'd want to go first."

"Yeah right sure you did... wuss."

Sam aimed a good natured punch at Dean's upper arm, the punch barely connected as Dean dodged out of the way with a chuckle parting the undergrowth and moving into the undergrowth.

The track led through the trees it wound slightly to the left, back to the right way and then straight for awhile. It was no wonder it was almost hidden from the trail.

After four hundred yards or maybe it was further, it was hard to tell with the twisting and turning in amongst the trees, the trees thinned out and the track ended at a rocky outcrop with a large slab of rock over hanging it creating a dark hole beneath it.

Be low the overhang a dark recess that looked like it could be the entrance to a cave.

"Yahtzee." Dean said with a sideways look at Sam.

When the brothers covered the last ten feet to the rocky over hang, there was a cave entrance a dark and fathomless 5 foot high 4 foot wide crack at the base of the rock face, carved and molded by water over centuries.

Taking out their flashlights which they were now grateful they still had they shone them into the darkness beyond the entrance the beams quickly swallowed up by the depth of the cave.

They looked at each other, no words were needed as they switched into hunter mode both on high alert that the beast's could well be lurking in the darkness beyond. Still in silence Dean drew his gun from the back of his waist band as Sam held the shot gun up ready to fire the 2 remaining shells if necessary. Dean leading they ducked into the opening.

The cavern opened up into a long fairly narrow cavern stretched away from the entrance; the steady drip of water echoed somewhere off to their left. In single file Sam followed Dean further into the damp darkness with very little room to spare the sleeves of their jackets covering broad shoulders brushing and catching on the rough walls in the narrower sections against the rough walls. Both brothers ducking under lower sections where the stone above crowed down on them.

Moving deeper into the cave they shone their flashlights over the cavern. Although damp at the entrance the cavern dried out more and more the deeper they went. Reaching what appeared to be a solid rock wall the cave ended a couple of hundred meters in. The flashlights caught on a huge mound of what looked like pale bleached sticks stacked in a haphazard heap at the base of the rear rock wall.

Still in silence they moved together to the heap of what to Sam looked like a pile of firewood, dried sticks and branches. Dean squatted down in front of it laying his gun down on the ground in front of him. He stretched out his hand picking out a fat stick about a foot or so long with rounded bulbous ends. Aiming the flashlight on the object he turned the stick over in his hand to get a better look at it.

"Sam I think this is-" Before Dean could finish; Sam had hunkered down beside his brother and completed his statement.

"A human bone, looks like a thigh bone."

"I think we just found the missing campers." Dean said his tone quiet and almost reverent.

The brothers looked at each other in the dim light from the flashlights.

Sam stood and shone the light on something near the top of the pile picking a skull off the heap, the empty eye sockets black fathomless holes and the teeth set in an endless grin.

Dean moved his flashlight around, the light glinted off something metallic, half buried in the earth to the left of the pile of bones. He put the thigh bone back into the pile and pulled the metal object from the ground and shook the earth from it holding it up in the light.

"Sam, look at this."

Sam replaced the skull and moved to Dean's side.

"A man's watch." Sam said as Dean turned it over in his hand.

"The band is broken, there's some engraving on the back." Dean said.

"What does it say?"

Dean squinted at the tiny words on the back of the face. "_To Dear Graham_ _Happy Birthday Love Sandy xxx.__"_

"Graham Tyler?" Sam questioned.

"Must be." Dean tucked the watch into the pocket of his jeans, and shone the light back over the bones. Sam was doing the same.

"Dean, there's a lot of bodies here, do you think all the missing are here?"

"It's hard to say, but it looks that way." Dean picked up his colt and stood.

"What do you wanna do?" Sam asked as he too stood.

"We'll stick to the plan, go back to Prineville stock up on ammo, come back tomorrow we can kill these freaky bastards. Inform the local authorities that we've located the missing campers, and then we'll make ourselves scarce and leave the rest to them. But first things first we ought to get out of here before they come back and find a fresh meal waitin' for em."

"Sounds like a plan, you're just full of good ideas today, bro."

- TBWNN -

There was no sign of the beasts as they made their way back to the trail and started back towards Prineville.

The attack when it came was without warning and happened in the blink of an eye; it took Sam a second or two to register what was happening.

One second Dean was walking five paces ahead of him when a long muscular arm covered in wiry dark hair shot out from the brush beside the trail wrapping around Dean's left leg the talon like claws hooked into his calf. Dean cried out in shock and pain as he was dragged off his feet and into the dense brush.

"_**DEAN!**_**"** Sam shouted.

His stomach turned as he started forward to the spot where Dean had been moments ago.

The sounds of breaking twigs and branches accompanied by the rustling of dried leaves and another pained cry from Dean followed the beast's retreat.

Without hesitation Sam took off in pursuit the shot gun at the ready his long legs carrying him across the flattened undergrowth a vague track left by the passage of the beast and his brother.

Sam was gaining on the beast; he could hear the grunting noises the beast made as the weight of Dean's body slowed it down enough for him to gain ground. Sam realized by the direction the beast was heading it was taking Dean back to its lair the cave they had left minutes earlier.

As the trees thinned out Sam could see the beast ahead it was nearing the entrance to the cave pulling Dean's limp and seemingly lifeless body, _no no, not lifeless, no he__'__s just unconscious, _along behind it. The enormous beast's claws still embedded in his brother's leg.

Dean had been dragged all way on his stomach and at some stage he must have lost consciousness whether from the pain the beast was inflicting on his leg or the banging of his head along the rough uneven ground. The butt of Dean's gun was visible in the back of his jeans where his shirt had ridden up to under his armpits by his ceremonious journey along the floor of the forest.

The beast stopped at the cave entrance and pulled its claws from Dean's leg which fell limply to the ground, the side of Dean's face was pressed against the hard ground. From here Sam could see bloody tracks on Dean's face. The beast turned then and dropped onto its four legs straddling his brother, it bent its head to the back of Dean's neck and sniffed at him its nostrils flaring as it took in his brother's scent.

Sam had the shot gun ready to fire, but knew he had to make the only two shots he had count.

Having gotten his first clear look at the beast, Sam realized it was huge at least seven feet tall, its body covered in dark brown wiry hair resembled that of a man with wide muscular shoulders tapering to a smaller waist its thighs and legs also muscular but more canine shaped, this thing was big, strong and ugly, its long obviously sharp claws protruding from the large pad like feet. The head was also canine shaped with a short snout; close together eyes that looked lime-green in the waning daylight and small human like ears on each side of its ugly head.

Taking his chance Sam fired the shotgun at the beast's shoulder unwilling to go for the kill shot to the heart due to the beasts close proximity to Dean Sam couldn't risk hitting him.

With an ear piercing cry of anger and hurt the beast reared up onto its hind legs, revealing its long pointy yellowed teeth. It looked straight at him but to Sam's amazement the beast didn't flee it let out another roar and dropped down again onto all fours and started with unbelievable speed towards him, its clawed feet missing his brother's body by inches.

Sam fired his last bullet this time catching the beast in the chest in the same moment it launched itself at him; the impact of the beast and its extended claws against his chest sent the empty shotgun flying from his grasp. He landed painfully pinned against the hard packed earth with the full weight of the enraged, injured but still very much alive beast on top of him, snarling and growling low in its throat as it looked into his face, so close its foul breathe made him want to gag, saliva dripping off its pointy yellow teeth landing on Sam's cheeks and dripping down the sides of his face. Its claws were embedded deep and painfully in his chest.

The beast pulled back the claws ripping chunks of flesh off his chest as they came out. Sam cried out from the pain and a second time when the beast raked all of its claws down his already torn chest before it lunged forward and bit into the flesh in between his shoulder and the side of his neck tearing a chunk of flesh away. Sam couldn't hold back a scream of agony. Thoughts of this is how it ends, his life and Dean's, they would be the thirty eighth and thirty ninth persons to go missing in the forest, no one would be there to save them, after all the times they had laid their lives on the line this is how it would end.

The beast was about to take another bite from him when he heard it. Two gun shots rang out echoing in the late afternoon air –_**Bang! Bang!**_

The beast reared up with a pain filled cry. Sam then heard the most beautiful thing in the world Dean's deep voice gravelly with hurt and anger. _"__**GET AWAY FROM MY BROTHER YOU FUGLY SONOVABITCH."**_

_**Ochoco State Forest, Oregon**_

For Dean regaining consciousness was painful, multiple pains in various body parts assailed his senses, his left leg and his head seemed to be the most obvious, immediate and the most insistent of the pain; the rest of his body felt like he'd been dragged through the forest. _Dragged through the forest? Nar I couldn't have been? Could I?_

Dean lay as still as possible trying to keep movement to a minimum. Unwilling to awaken more pain in his throbbing pain racked body. Searching his mind he tried to make sense of how he came to be here and in pain yet again. As the last vale of unconsciousness lifted from him, his memory rushed back in and he remembered with clarity why he had come to be in this situation.

He was walking along the trail back to Prineville, Sam half a dozen paces behind him, when he was hit by an intense pain centered on his left calf and a feeling of being dragged backwards. The forest floor rushed past his eyes sharp twigs and rocks scrapping his face and piercing his chest through his shirt and t-shirt as he was dragged away from the trail, away from Sam. Dean heard Sam yell his name above the sudden pounding of his heartbeat, beating a tattoo in his ears.

Dean had tried desperately to twist his upper body to one side to get a look at what had to be one of the beasts they'd been searching for all day. But the speed at which he was being dragged and the angle of his body made it impossible.Dean gave up and reached his right hand back for the pistol he could feel the metal against his lower back tucked into the back of his jeans, his finger tips brushed the butt at the same time the beast made a sharp turn to the left, forcing his upper body to swing in the opposite direction. That movement and his attempt to grasp his gun sent the side of his head into the trunk of a tree, a curtain of black descended instantly.

And now warm, humid, putrid smelling was air puffing against his neck followed by a sniffing sound, then again a puff of foul air and a sniffing sound, Dean hoped it was some hot chick sniffing at him and blowing on his neck but with that foul breath God he hoped not. His disjointed thoughts were shattered when a gun shot rang out from close by, his eyes flew open and he saw trees, trees that were growing at a weird angle from the ground. _What the hell?_

At the same instant the sniffing and puffing stopped only to be replaced with a roar so loud and close to the side of his head he thought his eardrum was going to burst. Whatever had let out the roar, moved away taking the foul breathe with it. He blinked automatically as a large hairy paw like foot with long talon like claws banged down beside his face and then just as quickly lifted away and was gone.

Another shot rang out. Dean decided it was time to move and find out what was going on and what had happened to Sam. He pulled his arms under him and levered himself up and back onto his knees, pain shot up and down his leg from his calf and his vision was spinning at the sudden change from horizontal to vertical.

There was snarling and growling, followed by a very human cry. Dean knew that sound it was his little brother and he was in pain. Dean blinked rapidly forcing the world to stop spinning. Sam was flat on his back a huge hairy beast pinning him to the ground, the beast leaned in and bit into Sam at the base of his neck, ripping away part of his shirt and a chunk of flesh and swallowing it in one motion. Sam screamed. _No, no, no, Sammy._

Dean reached behind him; his hand curled around the butt of his gun as he simultaneously pulled it out pulled back the slide and brought it up towards the beast. Without hesitation he fired twice at the beast's hairy back as it was about to take another bite out of his brother; the shots entered the beast's broad back spurts of blood arcing outwards from the wounds.

The beast reared up onto its hind legs with another ear shattering cry, as the cry fell away Dean yelled, his voice strong, deep and fury filled. "**GET AWAY FROM MY BROTHER YOU FUGLY SONOVABITCH."**

The beast turned back to Dean and took three staggering steps forward, snarling at Dean in anger, Dean could see where Sam had fired the last two rounds of the shotgun into the beast one in the shoulder and one in the chest, Dean fired again, hitting the beast where he figured its heart to be. It jerked and dropped onto the ground on all fours, raising its head towards the darkening sky it let out a mournful wail, the lime colored eyes fell to look back at Dean. It crawled forward another step and another, Dean fired the last bullet, hitting the beast in the dead center of its jutting forehead.

The beasts head dropped onto the ground, a huff of foul smelling air puffed into Dean's face as it died, a yard from Dean who was still on his knees in the dirt outside the cave that the beast had determined was meant to be his tomb.

Dean got to his feet the pain in his lower leg mostly overridden by his anxiety for Sam. He staggered like a seasoned drunk to where Sam lay unmoving on the ground. Tucking the empty gun into the back of his jeans he dropped to his knees beside Sam, stifling a cry at the pain shooting up and down his leg.

Sam's eyes were at half mast. What Dean could see of the hazel irises was glassy and unfocused, from either pain, shock or both. Dean took a quick assessment of Sam's injuries. He had long rips from the collar of his shirt to just above his waist and the torn flesh on the side of his throat welled with blood that slid down his neck and onto the ground beneath him. Dean pulled the blood soaked material away from Sam's chest; the long gashes beneath also bleed but only sluggishly. Dean pressed two fingers to Sam's throat and found a strong but too fast heartbeat thrumming against his fingers.

Dean laid his palm on the side of Sam's face and turned Sam's face towards him. "Sammy, you with me? Talk to me, bro."

Sam's eyelids fluttered and his vision cleared as he focused on Dean's face. "Dean, are we dead?"

Dean gave what he hoped was a reassuring smile. "No Sammy we're not dead, but we gotta get outta here before the other one comes, or we will be, I used the last of the bullets to kill that one." Dean inclined his head at the body of the beast.

A worried look came over Sam's face and his hand came up and grabbed a fist full of Dean's shirt. "Dean, your leg it had you by the leg."

"Yeah Sammy it did, but I'm good, let's get you up."

Dean took Sam's right hand and placed the palm against the wound at his throat. "Can you keep pressure on this?"

At Sam's nod he took hold of Sam's upper arms and pulled him into a sitting position, Sam stifled a groan as the movement pulled on his chest and throat. Keeping a hand at Sam's back for support Dean moved to Sam's side and draped Sam's left arm across his shoulders hooking two fingers in a belt loop of Sam's jeans he pulled Sam to his feet.

Sam groaned and staggered leaning heavily into Dean's side, Dean almost went down with Sam's weight against his own weakened body, but managed to keep his feet; slowly ever so slowly they made their way towards the trees away from the cave and the body of the dead beast. Dean scooped up the shot gun as they limped and shuffled their way past it. It was empty but might come in handy as a club even though now without bullets it was useless for its intended purpose.

They were almost back to where Dean had been dragged off the trail when Dean chuckled.

Sam turned his pain filled hazel eyes sideways at Dean and asked. "What… about this… situation could you… possibly find as… funny?"

"It's just that I don't know whether I'm holding you up or you're holding me up, it's kinda like the blind leading the blind."

Sam let out a short huff of humor, "Guess that is kinda funny," before going back to putting one leaden foot in front of the other.

There was next to no light left when five minutes later they came to the trail. To Sam's puzzlement Dean continued across it and into the trees on the other side.

"Where we going… the car is that way?" Sam pushed out.

"I know I just need to find a place to patch you up first."

When they had travelled a couple of hundred yards into the forest away from the trail they came to a small natural clearing. Dean knew it was too risky to go on any further as it was now so dark that he couldn't see what obstacles and pitfalls the darkness was hiding. If either of them were to trip in the darkness it could result in aggravating Sam's injuries a broken ankle or other injuries and for Dean that sort of injury would mean neither of them would be walking out of here.

"Sam, we're gonna rest here awhile, I wanna take a look at you."

"Kay." Sam's voice sounded weaker now and he was leaning most of 6'4" muscular frame into Dean.

Dean lowered Sam gently onto the carpet of leaves covering the ground pulled his flashlight from his jacket pocket shining the small circle of light onto Sam's ruined bloody shirt.

Most of the front of Sam's shirt was now dark and damp and blood seeped through Sam's long fingers where they were still pressed against his throat.

Dean knew the throat wound was more of a worry than the claw marks. The throat was a very vascular area with some major arteries running through it.

Again he lifted Sam's t-shirt revealing once again the long claw marks gouged into his brothers chest, they were deep, blood still seeping from all eight of them. Dean turned his attention to the bite wound on Sam's throat.

Dean encouraged Sam's hand away from the wound. "Sammy let me look?"

He tore Sam's ruined shirt and t shirt open further, shining the flashlight onto the torn flesh below; he swallowed down a lump of trepidation at the raw open jagged wound at the juncture of Sam's throat and shoulder, glancing quickly at Sam's face hoping his brother hadn't seen the fear that he knew was written on his face, thankfully Sam's eyes were closed, his face pale.

With every beat of Sam's heart, blood that looked mahogany colored in glare of torch light it welled and pulsed up and out running and pushing its way across his throat and over his shoulder onto the ground beneath._ Oh god this bad._

Dean took off his jacket and shirt and tore it in half, one half he pushed under Sam's t-shirt against the claw marks, the other he bunched up and pushed it hard onto the gaping wound in Sam's throat.

Sam moaned and turned his head towards Dean and his eyes flew open. "Hurts," he whispered.

"Sorry bro, but I gotta try and stop some of the bleeding." Dean said.

Dean kept firm pressure on the wound, all the time talking to Sam in a soothing, calm voice as his mind worked overtime trying to devise a plan to get them both out of here.

Sam blinked a few times before his eyes slid closed again.

With a plan forming in his mindDean lifted the makeshift bandage away from Sam's throat; relieved to see the bleeding had slowed a lot and the claw marks on Sam's chest had mostly stopped bleeding. Dean checked Sam's pulse again; it was now thready and weaker and his breathing was coming in short gasps. _H__e__'__s going into shock from the blood loss, I__'__ve gotta do something now._

Gently tapping the side of Sam's face Dean said. "Sam I need you to look at me, come on Sam open your eyes."

Sam's eyes rolled underneath the lids and then fluttered open. Dean smiled, "There you are, I'm going to get rid of the other one."

"How Dean?"

"I've got a plan."

"What is it?"

"Still working on the details."

"Dean…" Sam's voice trailed off.

A plan was formulating in his head. _It might work, it has to too, and Sam's life might depend on it._

"I'm gonna kill it and then I'm getting you out of here."

Sam swallowed. "Kill it how? In case you… haven't noticed there are no… bullets left."

"I'm going to lure it over the cliff thing you nearly went over yesterday, that should do it."

"You sure that's... gonna work?"

"Pretty sure." Dean didn't sound convinced in his own words.

"Pretty sure? Dean... what about you're… leg? You'll never be able… to do it... on… your… own." Sam's words were forced out almost breathlessly.

"I'm not seeing another choice here Sam, you're in much worse shape than me. You've lost a lot of blood I need to get you to some help pronto."

"There has to... be another…. way?" Sam's speech was now slow and his breathe coming in shallow bursts.

"If you got any better ideas, I'm all ears college boy." Dean said with a half hearted smirk.

Sam looked into Dean's eyes and gave a small shake of his head.

"Okay then."

Dean retrieved the canteen and uncapped it. Sam watched his every move through pain dulled eyes.

"Think you can drink some water?"

"Yeah."

Wrapping a hand around the back of Sam's head Dean lifted him up and put the water bottle against his lips.

Without a word Sam managed to swallow a few sips from the canteen before Dean laid him back down onto the ground. "Sammy do you think you can keep pressure on that wound, til I get back?"

Sam nodded his assent.

Taking Sam's right hand Dean lifted it up to the wound on his throat.

He placed Sam's palm against his ruined shirt; covering Sam's hand with his own he applied gentle but firm pressure. "As hard as you can."

Sam hissed through his teeth at the added pressure but nodded again.

Dean placed the open water canteen his and Sam's flashlight and the empty shot gun next to Sam. "I'll leave the water and a flashlights here; see if you can drink some of the water in a bit, okay?"

Dean patted Sam on his uninjured shoulder and got slowly to his feet not wanting Sam to see how much his leg wound was hindering his movement; turning away he took 2 shaky steps before Sam's weak voice stopped him. "Dean."

Dean turned back Sam's face a pale blur in the darkness.

"Be careful….please?"

"Don't worry Sammy I'll be back."

Dean could feel more than see Sam was slipping away from him; into unconsciousness, _I've got to hurry!_

The moon was providing very little light but it was enough for him to put his plan into action. He could have taken a flash light but he was not yet far enough away from Sam for the light from a flash light to give away his location to the beast. _Not yet, not until I'm ready._

Going against every fiber of his being he left his brother alone, gravely wounded, barely conscious and _God help me _unprotected. Slipping quietly away into the trees the darkness quickly swallowed him up and he was gone.

_**To be continued…**_

Thanks for reading, please review


	3. Chapter 3

**THE BEAST WITH NO NAME**

_A Supernatural Story by:__Silvertayl 57_

**Disclaimer****: **See Chapter 1

**Chapter 3**

The rising moon was trying valiantly to penetrate the canopy of the forest poking slithers of silvery light beams through any tiny breaks it could find; the resulting effect creating a surreal atmosphere as Dean made his way back to the beast's lair.

Pain was his only companion; shooting up and down his leg with every limping hopping step he took. That pain and the creeping feeling of sticky warm blood oozing from the mauled muscle soaking the leg of his jeans keeping him moving forward a reminder of who he'd left behind on the damp forest floor.

Concealed by the last line of thicker trees he could see cleared area at the cave's entrance. The moonlight had no trouble reaching the ground highlighting the beast standing like a sentry at the entrance. It seemed impossibly large bigger than the dead one more muscle mass and taller. _The male?_ It moved then dispelling the statue like impression; leaning over the body of its dead mate that was still lying were Dean had killed it. From here Dean heard the low keening noises the beast made as it pawed and sniffed at the body.

Step 1- locate the beast. _Check. Now on to step 2_. Lure it back to the small camping area where the beasts had wreaked havoc last night. _Simple?_

Dean made his way back to the trail and followed it to the camping area. The blood from his torn calf now filling his boot, with every step it pushed up over the top of the leather and dripped from the tattered hem of his jeans onto the ground beneath his foot. Which in any other circumstances would have been a bad thing but tonight it was a good thing it would give the beast's keen sense of smell his trail to follow and help to lure it away from Sam and hopefully into his trap.

When Dean reached the cleared camping site, he stopped in the middle and looked around, taking in deep breaths as he tried to get his bearings, he had to be sure he was luring the beast towards the cliff and not back towards Sam. His mind and his eyesight were fuzzy from blood loss fatigue and worry.

The deep breaths helped a little to clear his mind; he knew now the direction he had to take to lure the beast to its death.

He took one more deep breath and made his way to the other side of the clearing and into the trees, limping and stumbling about thirty or so feet into the forest, not too far he needed to be close enough that the beast could catch his scent and the scent of his blood and follow him. Luckily the night breeze was in his favor Dean leaned his exhausted body against the base of a tree and waited. _Come and get me you fugly bastard, I taste good._

- TBWNN -

The beast was there in the small cleared campsite clearly visible in the moonlight, it stood on its hind legs head raised to the sky, sniffing at the cool night air.

Suddenly the head dropped turning in his direction. It had caught his scent on the breeze, its fluorescent lime-yellow close together eyes seeming to pierce the dense trees straight to him; it knew he was there, 40 feet into the trees that circled the campsite; leaning heavily against the thick base of a tree, keeping as much of his weight as possible off his mauled bleeding leg. His stomach was clenched in fear and anticipation, knowing the beast's highly tuned sense of smell had given his position away.

_So far, so good._ It was going to plan. The beast had caught his scent it would come after him.

The beast opened its mouth, revealing a row of long yellowed pointy teeth, an ear piercing bellow filled with anger and hatred was aimed in his direction.

Dropping onto all four of its muscular legs, and with unbelievable speed for a creature of its size and bulk it bounded to the edge of the cleared camping area and into the trees, right towards him. It would be upon him in a heartbeat he had to move now.

Dean turned and ran as fast as his damaged, barely functioning leg would allow; the low hanging branches whipping against the exposed skin of his face and neck; leaving bloody gouges in their wake.

At any other time he might have been able to outrun it, but his wounded leg made it impossible to keep ahead of it. But he had to; he had to draw it away from Sam who lay less than half mile away, unconscious and gravely wounded by the claws and teeth of the mate of the beast that was chasing him. The mate he had killed using the last of the silver bullets pumped into its hairy back.

If this part of his plan was successful and by some miracle he survived he had to find some way to get help for his brother; even if it meant he had to carry him out. It wouldn't be until tomorrow morning when they failed to check in at the ranger's station that a search party would be dispatched to locate them; another twelve to eighteen hours before help reached them. He didn't think his brother had that long. When he'd left him on his quest to lure the beast away, Sam was going into shock from blood loss and almost unconscious.

This was not the first time he and his brother had been bait to trap or kill something evil or supernatural or just a freak of nature, an abomination.

The beast was nearly upon him, he could hear the pounding of the things feet and the grunting noise it made as it ran getting louder with every agony filled step he took. But also with every step he was drawing it further away from the only person who mattered to him in the world.

The moonlight led the way showing him his goal; six feet was all that separated him from the trees that camouflaged the edge of that drop.

No longer capable of running Dean staggered the final six feet to where he knew the edge of the drop was partially hidden by trees and turned to face the beast; it burst through the trees twelve feet away and closing fast. Without warning it pulled up and stopped three feet from him it was so close he could see saliva dripping from its snarling jaws and smell its hot rancid breath and the foul odor of its body.

Dean looked into its eyes, seeing the strange intelligence in the depths of the fleuro lime-green irises.

_Why has it stopped? _"Come on what are you waitin' for? You got me, you fugly son of a bitch."

As if somehow understanding he was urging it on the beast drew back and pounced, half ducking and taking a step to his right he felt the beast's powerful jaw glance off his left shoulder as it sailed past him and over the edge; Growling and snarling as it fell out of sight; then a series of thuds as the beast struck the side of the drop, the growling turned to grunts and then ceased.

He had no time to contemplate or congratulate himself on the beast's demise because the glancing blow to his shoulder was enough to unbalance him, forcing him to put weight on his injured leg which collapsed under the extra weight. His foot slipped over the edge the momentum of the movement forcing the rest of him to follow. His chin scraped along the ground as the lower half of his body slid over the edge. Desperately he reached his arms out and grasped at a low hanging spindly branch of pine tree beside him with his right hand at the same time clawing at the ground in front of him with the other; digging his fingers into the ground attempting to anchor himself there and stop the downward motion of his body. He didn't want to follow the beast to his death impaled on a tree branch or smashed upon the rock strewn ground far below. He felt most of the fingers on his left hand dislocate and his fingernails snap off at the nail bed, pine needles burying deep into his right hand clutching onto the branch in a desperate grip. He tried to find some purchase against the side of the drop with his good leg, but couldn't find a foothold, the loose vertical section at the top of the drop making it virtually impossible. The toe of his boot slipped off the surface dislodging stones and earth that fell away below him; his legs were now dangling free. To make matters worse the earth beneath his clawed fingers was crumbling away he was slipping further over the edge; his fingers leaving furrows in the ground, his right hand slipped along the branch of the tree. It was then he knew- he was going over he was not going to be able save himself to pull himself up the injury to his leg and blood loss had weakened him to the point of exhaustion. The little strength and adrenaline he'd had to draw the beast away from Sam had drained way to leaving him nothing in reserve; he was going to die and consequently so was Sam.

His clutching fingers lost their grip as the edge gave way at the same time the end of the branch slipped through the fingers of his other hand, and he was falling; and it wasn't like in the movies there was no slow motion his life such as it was didn't flash before him; there was only the cool night air rushing past him as he fell; and then pain as his body hit hard then he tumbled briefly hit hard again with more pain the impact driving the breath from his lungs, this pattern of hit tumble hit, punctuated by pain repeated itself as he rolled, slid and bounced downwards like a human rubber ball, to certain death dashed on the boulders. Loose earth and rocks fell with him. His thoughts turned to his brother_. __'__I__'__m sorry I couldn't__save you, I tried, please forgive me, I love you bro__'__._

Consciousness mercifully left him when the side of his head collided with a tree two thirds of the way down.

His battered, broken and bleeding body finally came to rest at the bottom, splayed out on his back like a human sacrifice atop a large boulder, a mere fifteen feet from the body of the dead beast, its neck broken.

Dean was unaware he had succeeded in killing the beast, but at a terrible cost. The cost of his life and more importantly that of his brother.

In the forest less than a mile away, with a sharp intake of breath Sam's head lifted off the leafy ground his eyes opened wide and focused for a brief moment on the stars peeking and winking at him between the tree branches above. His eyes fluttered closed again his head thumped back onto the ground; one whispered word passed his trembling lips.

"Dean."

_**Ochoco State Forest Rangers Station, Oregon**_

Forest ranger Tarni Benton was worried, she had a bad feeling and somehow she knew the Harrison brothers were in trouble somewhere in the forest. And they were only two hours overdue from their planned return she couldn't shake the feeling of dread that had lodged itself in the pit of her stomach.

She looked again at the clock on the wall of the rangers' station, nine minutes past eleven, then looked over at Doug seated at his desk feet planted on top of his desk sipping on a steaming mug of coffee and talking animatedly on the phone. Tarni did not hear Doug's side of the conversation only catching a few words about some fishing trip that was planned for the coming weekend. She had more important things on her mind. The brothers.

_How am I going to explain my instinct that something is wrong and convince him I need to go and look for the Harrison brothers? _She knew what he'd say if she told him she knew they were in trouble. _"__Don__'__t be ridiculous Tarni their only two hours overdue, quit worrying, they'll show up.__" _

_So I__'__ll have to come up with an excuse to go in and look for them._

Tarni's thoughts were interrupted as the door opened and a young couple entered; day hikers they had been at the station earlier before setting off on their hike.

Tarni smiled at them. "Hey you guys back already, change your mind?"

"No, no, we found a tree down across the trail a big one, about a mile in from the car park; we had to leave the trail for quite a way to get round it. We thought we'd better come back and tell you, seeing as there's no cell reception up there." The young man answered with a smile.

_Here__'__s my excuse. _"Well that's great." Tarni smiled at them.

The hikers looked at her confused by her smile.

"A… great pity," Tarni added. "Did you drive back?"

"No we left the car back at the lodge in Prineville." The young man answered.

"So you guys have almost done a day's hiking already?"

The young woman answered. "Yeah, seems like."

Tarni looked over at Doug who was still on the phone; his feet still up on the desk. He didn't seem at all interested in why the couple had come back so soon.

She pulled her attention back to the couple in front of her, "I'll go check it out. Thanks for coming back."

The hikers turned back towards the door.

"Hey hold on I'll give you ride back."

The girl looked at Tarni gratefully. That'd be cool."

"If you go and wait out by the truck I'll be out in a minute."

As the two hikers went out through the door Tarni went over to Doug's desk. Seeing her approach he said. "Hang on for a sec will ya," putting his hand over the mouthpiece he glanced up at Tarni with a look that said what's so important that you gotta interrupt my phone call.

"There's a tree down blocking one of the trails, I'm gonna go check it out."

"Okay, radio if you need any help."

She grabbed her rangers jacket and a two-way radio and went out to the truck were the two hikers were waiting.

After seeing the hikers off down the trail and assuring them she would be right behind them Tarni went over to the only car in the parking area. A black Impala 67 or 68 it was an American classic. It had to belong to the Harrison brothers; although not the typical kind of car she imagined private investigators would be driving but these guys didn't seem typical of anything.

She couldn't get the brothers faces out of her head. Both drop dead handsome with some similarities in their looks, in the eyes mostly. But with two different personalities. Her gut instinct told her they were in trouble.

She walked back to her ranger's truck gathering things she would need. She looked at the trail the hikers had disappeared down. "Sorry guys something more important came up."

With hat Tarni took the trail that Sam and Dean Harrison had followed two days two hours and twenty seven minutes ago.

_**Ochoco State Forest, Oregon**_

Tarni reached the camp sight and knew straight away something bad had happened here. Piled to one side was camping equipment. She bent down to examine it closely; it was torn up and ruined. Amongst it back packs and sleeping bags. The damage had been perpetrated by something sharp and looked like claw marks.

Then she saw the blood trail. Drying and congealing in the warmth of the day. The bloody shoe prints were smeared and trodden into the earth making it was hard tell if they were coming into the camp or going away further into the forest. She traced the dried blood footprints from the camping area back onto the marked trail and followed it for a couple of hundred yards. Then the blood trail split in two, one going off into the trees on the right and one into the trees on the left.

In 2 minds which to follow Tarni tried calling out.

"HELLO, SAM AND DEAN HARRISON, ARE YOU THERE? IT'S TARNI BENTON FROM THE RANGERS STATION, CAN YOU HEAR ME?"

The only answer she got was from the birds and the insects, no sounds of anything human to be heard. She called out again, the result the same. No answer.

Glancing at the split trail. Her first instinct was to go left and her instincts had been serving her well today no reason to start ignoring them now.

The blood trail was a lot harder to follow in amongst the trees and she lost it after a few meters. But the forest itself showed her a different trail to follow. Because someone had passed through here recently. There was a distinct track where the leaves had been kicked out of the way by passing feet and tree fronds broken by the passing of something or someone.

Following the trail and some three hundred meters further on Tarni came to an area where the trees thinned out into a small clearing and it was here she found him. Sam

With his name on her lips she fell to his side on suddenly shaky limbs looking into his pale still face. His clothes were blood covered and ruined and there was no movement in his long lean body and for an agonizing moment Tarni thought he was dead. Then she saw it the shallow rise and fall of his chest.

- TBWNN -

Shifting light moved across his closed eyes. Someone calling his name and there was a light warm tapping on his cheek. The voice became clearer and the tapping on his cheek became firmer and more insistent.

"Sam, Sam wake up. Come on Sam open your eyes, please?" The female voice asked. _Not Dean! Where's Dean? Maybe I'm dead and this is an angel? But how come being dead is so painful?_

Sam forced his eyes open expecting to see an angelic face with glowing golden hair white fluffy wings and a halo. But this angel although beautiful was dark haired dark eyed had no fluffy white wings and no halo. She looked vaguely familiar. Surrounding her face was sky so bright and blue it was almost painful to look at.

His last clear thought before now was a sky full of stars surrounding Dean as he leaned over him asking him to keep pressure on his wound while he took care of the beast. And now daylight and no Dean? _Where__'__s Dean? He should be back by now. It was night when he went left he should have been back ages ago. Where is he?_

The dark angel smiled at him. A look of relief coming over her lovely face when she saw his eyes focus on her face.

"Where's… Dean, where's my… brother?" His voice sounded hoarse, scratchy and dry like someone had sandpapered his vocal cords and he was having trouble getting his question out without gaps in between every few words.

"I don't know, I found you a couple of hours ago. I've been trying to wake you since then. You're badly injured Sam."

_To hell with that, I've got find my brother. _Gathering his almost no existing strength he tried to sit up. "Dean… I've got to… find Dean."

Foreseeing his intention to sit up and with almost no effort Tarni pushed gently against his uninjured shoulder. "No Sam you have to lie still. Help is on the way."

Sam closed his eyes in frustration.

Tarni moved her hand from Sam's shoulder to his the hair; gently smoothing the long warm brown locks away from his forehead. "We'll find him, but you must stay still you've lost a lot of blood."

The two-way radio that she held in her other hand crackled with static. "I've contacted the hospital via the rangers' station." She indicated the radio. "The paramedics are on their way, they should be here any minute."

Sam didn't care about any of that; his one and only concern was for his brother. Dean had been down playing his wound; typical Dean he always did that he could have lost a limb and he'd say It's just a scratch. "You don't understand I… gotta find Dean… he… he… was injured too… his leg... he… tried to… draw it away… from me but… something must have… gone wrong… please, I have to…find him, he's… all… I… got." Sam could feel himself fading. His speech becoming slower he had to force out every word on each stuttering gasping breath. His vision was tunneling, blackness closing in rapidly. Unable to keep his eyes open any longer as his consciousness rapidly deserted him. From somewhere he managed to gasp out a final desperate plea. "Tarni… find… Dean… please."

Sam had lost consciousness again. His brief moments of consciousness were filled with an almost palpable concern for one thing and one thing only. Dean. She wished help would arrive so she could leave Sam in the capable caring hands of medical professionals to fulfill his request and go find his brother.

Then she heard the most beautiful sound in the world, Doug's voice came to her through the trees. "Tarni where are you?"

"Doug, over here." She called out over her shoulder in the direction of Doug's voice.

Moments later Doug pushed through the trees two paramedics were with. One of medics was carrying a light-weight portable stretcher the other a large portable medical kit.

"Thank god." She said.

- TBWNN -

Tarni stayed with Sam until the paramedics had stabilized him. They started an IV line to help replace some of his lost blood and fluids. Sam was still unconscious as they secured him to the stretcher and lifted him to carry him away towards the car park and the waiting ambulance.

Before they left Tarni had informed Doug she was going to stay and look for Sam's brother. Doug had offered to stay and help but the paramedics said they needed him to hold the IV line up and help them through any rough or dangerous spots on the trail so they left without her.

Tarni had thought Doug would be angry and annoyed with her for going looking for the brothers on her own. But he surprised her. "Tarni I'm sorry I didn't listen. You knew these guys were in trouble. After I've seen these guys back to the ambulance, I'll come back up and help in the search, two of us will be able to cover more ground."

"Thanks for the offer but It'll be too late Doug, by the time you get back here it will be almost dark, I'll call you if I find him, okay?"

"You're probably right. Keep in touch and radio me if you need me. I mean it."

"Thanks Doug. If I haven't found him before dusk I'll come in and go out again at first light."

The sun was well into the west now, only about two hours of daylight left, she would have to hurry, if she was going to locate Dean before dark. _Please let me find him. For Sam's sake._

Tarni went back to where the blood trail had split and followed it off to the right a little while later she came across the body of some dead creature. The large animal was lying beneath a rocky outcrop beside a cave entrance. The beast's decomposing body looked like nothing she'd ever seen before. It was most definitely not a grizzly and it was huge, and it stank so badly after being exposed to the heat of the day Tarni had to cover her nose and mouth; skirting around behind the enormous smelly corpse she went into the cave.

The cave was dark and damp flicking on the flashlight Tarni moved through the natural cavern. Dreading that the circle of light would pick out Dean's dismembered and bloody remains. At the rear of the cave she found pile of bones but no fresh kills and she guessed that the bones were all that was left of the missing campers, but no sign of Dean dead or alive.

Skirting around the dead beast again Tarni traced the blood back to the trail and the camping area. _Maybe I missed something?_ The sun had sunk below the horizon and the light was fading fast.

Then she found it, a third blood trail leading off into the trees on the other side of the camping area, away from where she'd found Sam. Towards where she knew there was a dangerous cliff that was unsighted until you were right on top of it. The cliff was virtually concealed by the trees and brush growing on the edge of the hundred and fifty foot drop.

Tarni remembered what Sam had said before he had lost consciousness, when they were waiting for the paramedics. _"__He__…__ tried to… draw it away… from me but… something must have__…__ gone wrong…__"_

_Could there have been a second creature?_ Tarni ran from the campsite to the edge of the concealed drop. There she found a small congealed pool of blood and signs of sort of struggle with dislodged stones and deep gouges in the earth that looked like they'd been made by fingers digging into the earth. Someone had been in a battle for survival desperately trying to prevent themselves going over and from the looks it failing. Dean?

With a knot of dread again settled in the pit of her stomach Tarni looked over the edge the daylight was giving way to night with just enough light to see without the flashlight.

Grasping hold of a branch of the nearest tree for support and leaning over as far as she dared Tarni could see two bodies lay at the bottom. One was the body of another beast like the one she found outside the cave. Close by spread-eagled on top of a large flat rock a smaller body still and motionless.

From this distance with the quickly fading light, Tarni couldn't see if he was alive or dead, but she knew who it was.

She had found Dean.

- TBWNN -

Cocooned in cold darkness and pain so much pain, Dean became aware of something wet and sticky flowing and draining from his body. He didn't know if this was death because if he was dead how come he hurt so damned much. _So not death then but something close to it._ _Limbo that's it I must be in limbo, not dead, but not alive somewhere in between_ _heaven and earth or was it between hell and earth_ _with my Winchester luck I'll no doubt end up downstairs. _And if by some miracle he did go upstairs maybe all the pain would cease and go away and he'd see Sam again, Dean knew Sam would be there, cuz Sam if he hadn't survived the beasts attack would definitely go upstairs. But if Sam hadn't survived and was in heaven he'd most likely be pissed at him.

He floated in limbo for a while. Random thoughts criss-crossing his mind. _Don__'__t think I like this limbo. Why don__'__t you take me where ever and get it over with? If I'm going downstairs then let's get this party started._

These strange thoughts swirled around his mind for how long he didn't know then things changed. The darkness was penetrated by a bright light pressing against his closed eyelids. W_hen did I close my eyes? Maybe they were closed all the time?_ The sound of a motor grew louder until it became almost unbearable the sound beating and whirring and a fierce wind driving against him. _Sounds like a helicopter, maybe I am going to heaven? But in a helicopter what the hell? Well at least I__'__ll get to see Sammy again._

Now something else was different. Someone was touching him, poking and prodding at him and there was a voice talking to him he assumed the voice was meant for him but he couldn't understand what the voice was trying to communicate. _Too much noise. Too much pain and cold I'm so cold._

Then there was more prodding and touching as something hard and stiff was placed around his neck before he was rolled slightly to one side and something flat and hard was pushed underneath his pain wracked body and then he was rolled back flat. This seemed to intensify the pain and agony that encased him and Dean wanted to scream out in agony, beg them to stop, but it was like the power of speech had been taken from him.

He was lifted a little way off the ground and placed into something that felt like a kind of cradle, and a moment later he was being lifted again this time higher and higher into the air, closer to the beating, whirring, chopping, helicopter noise the wind still buffeting him making the cradle swing slightly. _Rocking the_ _cradle, at last they__'__re taking me to heaven, I hope, maybe now the pain will stop. I__'__m coming Sammy._

His passage to heaven was becoming rough, his cradle was now swinging violently, then with a grating sound of metal on metal his cradle banged against something hard and unyielding, the pain of the impact so unbearable it sent shut down signals to his brain and his brain reacted cutting him off from everything. It all stopped, the pain, the sound, the wind, the movement, everything.

Dean was no longer in limbo, he was dead.

_**To be continued…**_


	4. Chapter 4

**THE BEAST WITH NO NAME**

_A Supernatural Story by:__Silvertayl 57_

**Disclaimer****: **See Chapter 1

**Chapter 4**

_**Pioneer Memorial Hospital, Prineville, Oregon**_

Bright light pressed against Sam's closed eyelids, his sense of smell told him he was no longer laying in the forest. He was in relative comfort and very little pain, _that__'__s good right?, _trying to work out if the smells he could smell, gave him a clue to where he was. _Smells like antiseptic a clean clinical kind of smell. It's a hospital._

The reality of that struck him; his thoughts went straight to his brother. _Dean, I hope they found him, please let him be alright?_ His eyes shot open, he had to blink a few times until they adjusted to the harsh light shining down on him from a bright white ceiling._ "Dean, where__'__s my brother?"_

Sam realized he must have put his thoughts into words, or rather whispered his thoughts, through the oxygen mask over the lower part of his face. Someone leaned over him, unknowingly shielding Sam's eyes from the harsh bright light. He couldn't make out the features of the person yet, and he couldn't even tell if it was male or female until it spoke, "Mr. Harrison, Sam, you're in Pioneer Memorial Hospital, _so_ _male, _we're going to take you to surgery to repair the damage to your throat and chest," A pause then, "Do you understand what I'm saying?"

The man's face swam into focus as his eyes again adjusted to the difference in the light; the man was probably around Dean's age or maybe a little older, short blond hair and steady gray eyes. Sam spoke but it wasn't to answer the question the man leaning over him had asked, "Dean, where's my brother?" It came out in a weird, thick, mumbled whisper, like someone had glued his tongue to the roof of his mouth.

The man seemed to understand Sam's garbled question, "The ranger found him, their bringing him in now."

"Thank god… they found him…is he alright?" Sam asked him.

"We'll know more about his condition when he arrives, he's being airlifted in by the medivac helicopter."

"Helicopter? But… Dean has a fear of flying; he'll panic, without me…with him," Sam's voice sounded stronger now, thoughts of his brother's distress and panic giving him a small surge of strength. If Dean knew he was in a helicopter and not traveling with four rubber tires in constant contact with terra-firma, and without Sam there to keep him calm he'd panic big time.

The man,_ obviously a doctor,_ wearing regulation hospital garb, lifted one side of his mouth in a tired looking half smile, as if to say; _there__'__s nothing can be done about that now."_

"It was the only way to get him out safely; we're going to take you to surgery now."

_I have to try to delay it somehow, until Dean gets here, I have to see him, _"Please can I wait until he gets here? I have to see my brother make sure he's okay," Sam pleaded.

The doctor placed a hand on Sam's good shoulder, "No I'm sorry we can't wait, your wounds need to be taken care of, the bleeding has to be stopped and besides your brother is still at least twenty minutes out."

Sam tried to sit up in the bed. His body reminded him of his wounds and the feeling of the pull of an IV in the back of his hand he flopped back against the pillow with a groan.

"I know how you feel I have a brother."

"But you don't understand… I have to see him, please…? " Sam was almost begging.

"You can see him later after surgery. I promise we'll take good care of him while you're under, try not to worry."

The doctor nodded to a nurse hovering silently beside him, she came forward and she had a hypodermic syringe in her hand, "Nurse Lipowitz is going to give you a pre-op sedative. It will make you a little sleepy."

Sam tried to catch the nurses' eye. He was too weak to fight her and her pre-op injection off physically. Hell he was to weak to fight off a rabbi 2 week old puppy. He was only able to use pleading words and what Dean called his puppy dog look on her, "Please, no… don't, please… you have to wait."

Finally she glanced at Sam and for a moment he thought it was his puppy dog look that made her hesitate. But then she turned back to the IV and without hesitation injected the clear fluid into it.

Within seconds he felt a burning sensation spread up his arm from the IV and then mere seconds later his vision was swirling and his eyes closed against his will. Before the sedative claimed him completely, Sam thought of Dean. Dean panicking when he found out he was on the helicopter. _I'm so_ _s__orry Dean, I tried to wait for you, bro._

- TBWNN -

Twenty minutes after seeing Sam Harrison off to the operating theatre, Dr. Phillip Stanton was up on the roof of the hospital, watching the medivac chopper growing larger and larger as it approached, red lights blinking insistently demanding an unimpeded passage through the night sky. A roar of noise could now be heard getting louder as it came closer and closer, the down draft hit him as the chopper came in to land, bulls eyeing the marked helipad.

Before the helicopter pilot had even cut the power and with the blades still spinning into a blur, Dr. Stanton and nurse Lipowitz rushed forward pushing and pulling the gurney with them, ducking under the spinning rotor blades before they came up beside the door.

The helicopter door was thrown back by the paramedic on board, with his help the doctor and the nurse lifted the unconscious patient, still strapped securely to the back board onto the gurney. The paramedic giving them a running commentary of the patient's condition and current stats, blood pressure, heart rate, pupil reaction, what IV lines they had started him on, as they pushed him back to the elevator, again ducking under the still slowing rotor blades.

Dr Stanton listened to the paramedic and knew what he heard was not good. In fact it was very bad. Dean Harrison's blood pressure was dangerously low and his heart rate to fast as his body tried to compensate for the blood loss and trauma pumping his ever decreasing blood into his vital organs to keep them from failing.

A few minutes later back in the hospital, several hospital staff including Dr. Stanton and nurse Lipowitz surrounded Dean's battered and bleeding body. The young man had survived the trip to the hospital in the helicopter which was a miracle in itself. Dr. Stanton had to insert an intertracheal-tube and attached him to respirator, as Dean was no longer breathing on his own. Then he and the other staff assessed the rest of Dean's multiple injuries. If Dr Stanton had made a list it would have been as long as his arm. Hemorrhagic shock from blood loss due to internal injuries, fractured skull, compound fractures to both legs, possible spinal injuries, multiple broken ribs, one of which had punctured and collapsed a lung, fractured right arm, fractured left shoulder a badly lacerated right calf, four dislocated fingers on his left hand, deep lacerations to his face, neck and arms, bark splinters embedded in his right palm and multiple other injuries. Blood from the head wound soaked his hair and ran down the side of his head, pooling on the table underneath his head. There wasn't one inch of Dean's visible flesh that was unmarked or covered in blood. Dr. Stanton didn't hold much hope for Dean's survival from these critical injuries; he was amazed he had survived this long.

Dean was a fighter that much was obvious. In every way possible Dr. Stanton vowed to himself he would help Dean in his fight for survival. He'd promised Sam they'd look after Dean while he was in surgery, he couldn't get Sam's face out of his head as Sam had almost begged him to let him see his brother. The fear, desperation and love for his brother written there for all to see and also the trust Sam was putting in a complete stranger to take care of his brother. It was obvious that all they had was each other. He had to do his best as a doctor and as a human being to try to keep the brothers together. To keep Dean alive, at the very least long enough for Sam to awaken from his surgery, so Sam could see his brother and talk to his brother, to say his goodbyes, if it came to that. _God forbid it comes to that._

Dr. Stanton was determined, he would save Dean's life and in so doing more than likely Sam's as well, because he had a feeling that Sam would not survive if Dean didn't.

"I want CT of head and spine, x rays of chest, legs, left shoulder and right arm and find which surgeons are on call," Dr. Stanton had to shout above the noise of the other staff and monitors.

Suddenly the heart monitor tracking Dean's heartbeat stopped beeping and gave long single squeal; Dr. Stanton glanced at the monitor for a moment, waiting, a flat line continued to chase itself across the monitors screen.

"He's crashing, we're losing him." One of the nurses said stating the obvious.

"Crash cart, stat!" Dr. Stanton yelled crowding the others out of the way he leaned over Dean and placing his palms one on top of the other began chest compressions against Dean's blood covered chest, directly over his heart. . Feeling his broken ribs move and grind beneath his palms.

Nurse Lipowitz, disconnected the respirator tube and attached a hand held balloon and began squeezing air into Dean's lungs.

The paddles were charged, gelled and placed on Dean's chest by another nurse. A shout of, "Clear!" Filled the room, Dr. Stanton lifted his hands away from Dean's chest and took one step back. Dean's body jerked up as the shock was sent directly into his heart.

The monitor still squealed, a flat line still chasing across the screen. Dr. Stanton said, "Again, charge to three hundred," as he again started chest compressions, while nurse Lipowitz squeezed the balloon. The doctor looked down at Dean's unconscious face as he tried to force life back into Dean's heart saying, "Come on Dean, I made Sam a promise."

"Clear!" All hands were lifted off Dean. Dean's body jerked again, the monitor still showing a flat line.

"Charge again, three fifty." Dr. Stanton said as he once again began chest compressions for the third time, "Come on, Dean, fight, do it for Sam."

The process was repeated again, a third shock delivered to Dean's heart, this time a blip sounded from the monitor and a little rise in the line appeared on the screen, followed by another and then another, climbing up one after the other like a newly forming mountain range, "Normal sinus rhythm, doctor, he's back."

Dr Stanton heaved a sigh of relief, "Well done everyone, let's get him stabilized and then get him to theatre, ASAP."

- TBWNN -

_He was running, running through the forest in the dark of night. He had no idea what he was running from or where he was running to, but he knew it was from something bad, evil. Then he became aware that his leg hurt and he was limping, not running anymore and there was something chasing him and it was getting closer with every heart pounding second. Suddenly he stopped and looked at the trees in front of him, something he knew was there hidden in the trees, but what? He moved forward again, limping the few final feet to the trees that were hiding his goal, he pushed through the branches and saw he was standing on the edge of a cliff. He had seen this before, he pulled his eyes away from the drop and turned back towards whatever was chasing him, it was there the beast from the forest, twelve feet away and closing, suddenly it stopped right in front of him, so close he could smell it__'__s foul breath and see saliva dripping from it__'__s mouth. He spoke but it wasn't his voice, "_Come on what are you waitin' for? You got me, you fugly son of a bitch,"_ the beast drew back then and pounced. He moved to one side and the beast jumped into the air and fell over the cliff. It__'__s mouth clipped his shoulder as it sailed passed, sending him off balance and his injured leg slipped over the edge of the cliff followed by the whole bottom half of his body. He was reaching out for something to stop his slid over the edge but his injured leg was making it difficult to heave his body back up to the safety of solid ground, he slid further his fingers of one hand digging into the ground his other hand grasping a branch beside him. A few short moments later he lost his grip and the earth beneath his fingers was crumbling, then he was falling his body hit the side of the angled drop again and again each time closer to the bottom, there was pain so much pain, then everything went black like someone had pulled down a black out curtain and he felt a strange peace wash over him._

The remains of the dream dissipated and he floated in a dark peace for a while. One by one sounds and sensations insinuated their way into and disturbed his peace. The dark wasn't as dense there was light fighting its way through the darkness. An annoying hissing sound penetrated his hearing and he felt a touch on the back of his hand, pushing against something attached to him buried under the skin. There was also something poking into his nostrils, it had tentacles snaking across his cheeks and over his ears.

Sam reached up his other hand fingering the thing poking into his nose. It felt weird and then a small warm hand wrapped around his and gently pulled it back down to his side.

Suddenly there was clarity and Sam knew where he was and what was going on. He was lying in a hospital bed, an IV in the back of his hand and a nasal cannula was feeding him a constant flow of oxygen. Surgery. He'd had surgery to repair the damage the beast had done. Then memories from prior to those memories bombarded his brain. Dean and him in the forest. Dean and him both attacked by one beast. Dean killed it. Dean treating him as best he could, Dean leaving him to draw the beast away, promising him he'd be back and then there was a familiar pretty brunette leaning over him. A hospital and begging to see Dean. An injection into the IV and then darkness. Until…. his dream, or was it a dream? Of running and drawing the beast over the cliff, slipping trying desperately not to go over the edge, but going over following the beast into the void below.

It wasn't a dream, it was a vision, and in the vision he was Dean, it was like he was in Dean's body; in his head and the vision was what had happened after he had left him in the forest that's why Dean wasn't there when he woke in the forest, Dean had done it led the beast away from Sam and over the cliff, but at a terrible cost, Dean's injured leg courtesy of the first beast had been responsible for him losing his balance and going over the cliff.

Sam opened his eyes. He was looking into the kindly friendly face of a woman leaning over him. A nurse. She smiled as she reached over and smoothed the hair way from his forehead in a comforting gesture, saying, "Good morning welcome back, do you remember what happened and where you are?" She had a soft lilting accent in her voice.

He wanted to answer her but his mouth was dry with a sour taste left over from the anesthetic he swallowed a couple of times trying to work enough saliva into his mouth to ask her the question that would not wait one more second. "Dean my brother, is he okay?"

"Dr Stanton said that would be the first thing you asked," Her accent soothing to his ears. He recognized the lilt. _Irish she__'__s Irish._

"Please… I have to know if he's alright," It came out as a dry whinny croak.

"Here have a sip of water, it will ease that dryness," She held a paper cup with a straw in it. She put the straw against his lips, Sam took two small sips then suddenly he felt like he wanted to drink an ocean dry, he greedily sucked on the straw, but before he could slake his thirst she withdrew the straw. "Not too much at first, dear." She went back to smoothing his hair from his forehead, "Is that better?"

Sam shook his head, "Nurse, please tell me about my brother," His voice and his eyes pleading, unwittingly using his puppy dog look.

"I think he's still in surgery, it will be awhile before we know anything, dear."

"How long has he been in surgery?"

She glanced at the watch pinned to her uniform, "About six hours."

"Six hours, what's wrong with him, oh god, Dean," Sam felt tears pricking at the back of his eyes.

"Try not to worry; he's got the best surgeons in the state, their doing all they can."

"All they can? Is he going to die?"

"Not if the doctors and surgeons have their way. Now don't get yourself upset or I'll have get Dr Cummings to give you a sedative," She was patting his hand.

Sam couldn't hold the tears back they were now flowing freely down his face. "But my brother, he's all I've got."

She reached over and pushed the button lying on the bed beside Sam, she continued trying to calm him by stroking his hair and murmuring, "Shhh, it will be alright."

Through the tears blurring his vision, Sam saw another nurse pop her head around the door; the Irish nurse turned to her saying, "Get Dr. Cummings, please."

The other nurse nodded and disappeared from the doorway. The Irish nurse kept up her cooing and hair smoothing until the door opened and a very tall older man wearing the regulation doctors white coat entered. He almost marched over to the bed and looked from Sam to the nurse then said, "Do we have a problem here Sister Malone?"

From that one sentence Sam thought the doctor's bedside manner needed some serious work.

"Sam asked me about his brother and he's gone and got himself all upset, doctor."

"We'll have to sedate him, organize it now nurse."

"Yes Doctor," She hurried from the room.

Sam's distress was now turning to anger he tried to lift himself off the bed, saying through clenched teeth. "I don't want to be sedated I just want my brother," His moment of strength quickly dissipated with pain and weakness and he collapsed back against the pillow.

The doctor put his hands on his hips and looked down at Sam showing no compassion at all, "Young man getting yourself all worked up is not going to help you or your brother."

Sister Malone came in carrying a small green kidney shaped dish; the doctor snatched the syringe from the dish, checked the contents before injecting the sedative into the IV port on in the back of his hand he then threw the empty syringe back into the dish Sister Malone held out to him turned and marched out of the room.

The sedative worked fast Sam could feel it flooding his system. He closed his eyes as he felt himself drifting once again into that place where he was all alone, without his big brother to guide him back into the light and even if Sam did make it back into the light on his own would his brother be there would Dean be alive.

From a distance he heard Nurse Malone's soft lilting apologetic voice, "I'm sorry Sam."

- TBWNN -

The sedative left Sam in a strange lethargic state somewhere in between sleeping and waking. He was aware from time to time of movement around him or when someone was in the room.

With no conception time past, he again felt the hair smoothing and heard the soft voice of Sister Malone, she was talking to him, asking him something, Sam knew what she was saying was important so he centered himself on the soft voice concentrated his hearing on her words, "Sam… Sam I've news of your brother… Sam."

Sam opened his eyes instantly alert. All lingering effects of the sedative dispelled from his system.

She was smiled down at him. _Smiling, that had to be good, right?_

"My brother?" He questioned.

She was still smiling when she said, "He made it through the surgery Sam, nearly nine hours, and they've transferred him to the ICU."

"He made it through surgery?" Sam repeated, wanting, needing her reassurance.

"Yes. One of his surgeons is coming to talk to you in a wee while; I thought you'd like to know."

Sam had to swallow the lump that had suddenly formed in the back of his throat before he could answer, "Thank you I appreciate it."

She was still smoothing his hair, "Now you rest, do you need anything for pain?"

"No, I'm good."

"If you need anything at all, press the button."

Sam couldn't speak, that damned lump was back in his throat again, so he just nodded.

After she left Sam began to notice his surroundings. It was daylight, a sliver of sunlight peeking through the blind covering the window and slanting across the floor. He blamed the brightness of that patch of sunlight for the sudden blurriness of his eyes and the tears that filled them spilled down his face and dripped off his chin onto his pale blue hospital gown. _Dean__'__s alive!_

When the surgeon Sister Malone had told him would come showed up some thirty minutes later, Sam's eyes were dry all be it a little red rimmed.

The surgeon a stocky man, his muscles straining at his green scrubs, with skin the color of milk chocolate pushed open the door and came in closely followed by Sister; Sam was pleased to see no sign of the 'charming' Dr. Cummings.

"Sam, I'm Dr. Dixon head of orthopedics; I was one of the surgeons who operated on your brother, Dean." He said it like Sam didn't know he had a brother named Dean.

"And?"

"Well considering his injuries, blood loss and complications prior to and during surgery, he's holding his own at this stage, but I won't lie to you, its touch and go the next twenty four hours are crucial."

"What exactly were his injuries, doctor?" Sam had to know.

"The list is quite extensive, fractured skull, shoulder, right arm, compound fractures in both legs, internal bleeding, broken ribs punctured and collapsed lung, badly lacerated calf, bruised spine, massive blood loss and that's just the main ones, his heart stopped once in the ER and again on the table, but both times he was revived successfully. He a fighter your brother, which is in his favor, and he had five of the state's best surgeons working on him which is also in his favor."

Sam's eyes were filling up again, "If anyone can get through this he can."

"I hope you're right, I had to insert titanium plates in the breaks in both legs, realign the shoulder and immobilize it, and put a cast on his right arm. The lung has been inflated and a drainage tube inserted, the broken ribs are strapped, the internal damage was repaired and the bleeding stopped, the lacerated calf also repaired, the head wound was sutured the fractured skull will heal on it's own provided there's no complications with a buildup of pressure from fluid or bleeding on the brain and the there's no damage to his spinal cord, we have to wait for the swelling to go down and one more thing because of the massive amount of trauma, he's in an induced coma until or if his condition improves."

"If?

"His condition is critical. As I said the next twenty four hours is crucial."

"I understand. Can I see him? Please I have to see him."

"It might be distressing to see him, he's a bit of a mess, and he won't know you're there."

"He'll know, please, it's more distressing for me not to see him."

"Excuse me for being presumptuous Dr. Dixon," Sister Malone who had been silent up until then injected herself into the conversation, "but I really think it will be beneficial for Sam's recovery if he can see his brother. He's been fretting something fierce waiting for news."

Dr. Dixon looked from The Sister to Sam. He wasn't unsympathetic to Sam's obvious concern for his brother. In the young man's hazel eyes he saw the deep feeling and the love Sam had for his brother; He knew it was unlikely Dean would make it through the next twenty four hours, so he made a decision, "I'm inclined to agree with you sister. Would you find a wheelchair and take Sam up to see his brother please."

She turned her smile to Sam as Dr. Dixon left the room, "I'll be back with that wheelchair in a flash," she patted his arm then turned and followed the doctor out of the room.

- TBWNN -

Fifteen minutes later Sam was sitting at the entrance to the ICU his IV hooked onto an IV pole attached to the back of the wheelchair, sister Malone had left him there while she had gone into the ICU to make arrangements for Sam to come in and see Dean.

Sam was getting anxious; he started bobbing his right leg up and down in a fast motion a typical habit of his when he was upset, anxious or stressed. He glared at the door of the ICU willing it to open and allow him access to his brother_. If she__'__s not out here in thirty seconds I__'__m going to wheel myself in._

Ten seconds later Sam flinched when the door opened and Sister Malone came out. She kneeled down in front of Sam, "I'm going to take you in now, but before I do I just want to warn you, Dean is hooked up to all kinds of machines and monitors, it all looks a little frightening, are you sure you want to do this?"

Sam smiled, "It's not the first time I've seen him in intensive care, so I'll be fine."

"Alright then."

The doors opened automatically when they got close. The sister pushed Sam past 2 beds and up beside the third she put the brake on, "I'll leave you two in private for a while I'll be just outside if you need me," She patted Sam's shoulder then quietly left.

Sam couldn't see much of Dean from his low position in the wheelchair. Anxious to see his brother he pulled himself to his feet using the retractable railing on the side of the bed. He had to close his eyes for a moment as the change of position caused a wave of dizziness to wash over him. After all it was the first time he'd been on his feet in two days; he took deep breaths and waited for it to pass, then opened his eyes and looked down at his brother.

At first glance Sam thought he was at the wrong bed, the man laying there could not be his brother.

But it was. He could see that now. Cradled in the bed beneath all the equipment, respirator, bandages, strapping, metal frames and other paraphernalia covering him was Dean's battered body.

Sam had seen Dean in the ICU before but never like this never quite this bad.

"Oh god Dean," Sam almost choked on the sour hot bile that had forced its way up into his throat.

He stood silent for a minute as he tried to take in all that was before him He leaned his weak, shaking body up against the side of Dean's bed.

To Dean's right there was a bank of beeping, whirring, hissing, clicking monitors tracking Dean's vital signs, heart rate, blood pressure, brain waves, and oxygen levels. To his left there were three IV bags hooked up flowing continuously into Dean via an IV line in the back of his hand. Dean's hair poked up at odd angles from the crisp white bandage wound around his head and forehead, his left eye was black and swollen, his long dark eyelashes lying against the indigo circle under the right eye. The respirator covered most of the lower half of Dean's face the blue concertina tube snaking away from where it was strapped around Dean's mouth, as it feed precious life giving oxygen into his damaged lungs. Dean's fractured left shoulder was strapped in an immobilizing sling, his chest was covered in strapping supporting his broken ribs, a clear tube protruding from the strapping on the right side, draining fluid from his chest and lung into a bag hooked to the side of the bed. More white bandages where visible at the edge of a light weight air cell cotton blanket folded over Dean's stomach, hips and thighs. His right arm was in plaster from above his fingers to just below his elbow and propped on a pillow. Both of Dean's legs had dressings down the front where Sam guessed Dr. Dixon had inserted the metal plates, there was yet another bandage visible around Dean's calf, his legs however weren't in plaster they were each supported in a cage like metal brace, screwed into the flesh at three different places on both sides of his legs, the braces were supported by a sling held in place by a metal bar over the bed at a right angle to another metal bar attached to the base at the bottom end of the bed.

Sam drew in a shuddering breath and reached out a shaking hand and grasped the fingers of Dean's hand below the cast that matched his own. He squeezed them gently and looking into Dean's bruised and bandaged face he began to speak, "Hey man it's me Sammy, I'm safe Dean you did it you saved me… _**again**_, but dude you should see yourself you look like Frankenstein's monster, screws and bits of metal all over, and bandages, man I think when your better you should buy shares in the pharmaceutical company."

Sam paused and then drawing in another shaky breath continued, "You will get over this Dean I know you. I know how strong you are I told the doctors if anyone can get through this you can. So you keep fighting, and I'll be here right beside you dude, because I need you man. I can't make it without my big brother. Who's gonna' protect me and keep me safe, if you're not around," Sam paused again then added, "I know you're gonna hate this chick flick moment but I'm gonna say it…I love you man and I miss my pain in the ass brother, so come back to me."

Sam felt a hand on his back and turned his head to see Sister Malone standing beside him, "Sam what are you doing out of the wheelchair, you shouldn't be standing, not after surgery. You have to go back to your room now and rest."

Sam shook his head, "No not yet. Please, can I stay a bit longer?" Sam was trying his puppy dog eyes on her.

"Now don't you give me that look, it won't work on me," She tried to look annoyed but Sam could see she was weakening, "Maybe one of the other nurses can bring you up later, I'm going off duty now, so say goodbye to Dean, for now."

Sam looked back to Dean, "Dean, I've got to go now, but I'll be back later… I promise. So you keep fighting bro."

With her hand supporting his arm Sam sat back down in the wheelchair. The chair was reversed away from Dean's bed, Sam took a lingering look over his shoulder at what he could see of his brother then he was gone from sight as the doors closed behind him.

- TBWNN -

She came to him emerging from the black silent darkness of death, looking as she had the last time Dean had seen her. She was lovely and angelic, wearing a long flowing white nightgown, her blonde hair floating about her shoulders in shiny waves. A soft fuzzy, welcoming, white light surrounded her.

"Mom?" He whispered.

She smiled beckoned to him to come with her. Her smiling lips parted she said one word, "_**Come." **_Her voice was as soft and warm as her smile. He returned her smile and stretched out his hand towards her he wanted to go. But something was wrong. There was a voice growing louder, echoing to him and all around him. He looked into the darkness surrounding him. The darkness was everywhere except in front of him where his mother floated in her fuzzy pure, circle of light. _Whose voice is that? Where is it coming from?_ There was nothing and no one only the swirling darkness around him. He looked back to his mother but she was gone as if she'd been absorbed into the darkness of death. He felt a heartrending sense of loss; he had lost his mother, again.

This time it was not to flames and fire but to darkness.

The echoing voice was louder now; He knew the words were meant for him and they were important, but the echo made it hard to hear. He turned in a circle trying to pin point the direction of the voice, but it seemed to be coming from everywhere and nowhere. _**"Where are you, what do you want?**__** I**__**'**__**m dead leave me in peace,**__**"**_ He yelled at the all-consuming darkness.

The voice never even paused it was as though he could hear the voice but the voice couldn't hear him or was ignoring him. He squeezed his eyes shut shutting out the dark and trying to concentrate on the voice; he wanted to hear what the voice had to say. Now he could hear some of the words filtering to him echoing and fading in and out. The voice was achingly familiar, _who is that and what does he want from me?_

"_**You saved meee… again**__**nn… you look like Frankenstein**__**'**__**s monsterrr**__**….. and bandagesss….. **__**when your betterrr**__**….. shares in the companyyy."**_

"_**Sammy? Is that you?**__**" **_The darkness absorbed his whisper.

"_**get over this Deannn… get through this you cannn… **__**keep fighting… be right here beside you dudeee…... need you mannn… my big brotherrr…. protect me and keep me safeee**__**….**__**. you**__**'**__**re not arounddd… Hate this chick flick momenttt….. I love you mannn….. miss my pain-in-the-ass brotherrr….. come back to meee….. don**__**'**__**t leave me here aloneee.**__**"**_

He opened his eyes to the swirling blackness again; filling in the missing words was easy, now he knew. He was not dead. W_ell not yet anyway,_ so he was not in heaven and neither was Sam. He'd saved him somehow? But his mother was; she had wanted him to go with her, He had come so close to going with her, reached out for her hand. _But_ _I can't go? Not now because Sam is alive!_ _My plan worked._ _Sam is safe and he's asking me to get through this to keep fighting. And if I don't who will protect and keep him safe without me around and the most important my little brother said he loved me and missed me. __I'm sorry mom I wanted to go with you I really did. But Sammy needs me, I can__'__t leave him alone. You will understand… I know you will._

So he would do what Sam was asking of him, he would keep fighting, he would find his way back to Sam because Sam was safe he had to be there for him as he had done most of his life starting from when Sam was six months old and a then four year old Dean had carried him from their burning house when that yellow eyed son of a bitch had taken their mother from them and sent their lives on the path that would be their lives.

- TBWNN -

Sam slept for the rest of the morning feeling easier in his mind now that he'd seen Dean and been able to talk to him. He hoped he'd given him the strength to keep fighting his way back to him. In the mid-afternoon the nurse who relieved Sister Malone came in and asked him if he was up to having a visitor.

Sam frowned, "Who is it?" He and Dean didn't know anyone here.

"It's one of the forest rangers."

Suddenly Sam remembered why the pretty brunette from the forest had looked familiar. She was the ranger he and Dean had met two days before, before their ill fated trip into the forest.

A minute later the door opened halfway and the brunette peeked shyly around the door, "Hi Sam, how are you feelin?"

"Please come in, its Tarni right?"

She came all the way in and stood beside the bed, "You certainly look better than last time I saw you."

"Yeah getting attacked by a bear will do that to ya."

She was suddenly very serious, "Bear huh? Umm, Sam I found you and Dean but I also found that thing by the cave and I saw the one at the bottom of the cliff near to where I found Dean, Sam, I know they weren't bears. I don't know what they were but I think you do."

The young woman standing before him had saved his and Dean's lives. Her dark eyes were boring into him like hot coals as she waited for him to answer, to tell her the truth. Sam felt at the very least he owed her that much.

"You're right they weren't bears, but to tell you the truth we don't know what they were, we've never seen anything like them before."

Tarni stayed silent she looked confused.

Sam continued trying to explain, "My brother and I we're not private investigators, we're hunters, we hunt evil, ghosts, spirits, poltergeists, monsters all things supernatural things from your worst nightmares. That's why we came here because we knew the disappearances were not from bear attacks."

She gave a nervous laugh, "Oh… I see, that explains a lot. But Sam those things… those beasts, you don't know what they are… were?"

Sam gave a slight shake of his head, "No we've never encountered them before and they got the drop on us, they were very intelligent smarter than your average monsters. Dean still managed to kill them both of them."

"And you think they were responsible for the disappearances?"

"Hell yeah, we found human bones in that cave, we think they are the missing campers."

"I went into the cave I saw the bones."

"Dean found a watch belonging to Graham Tyler in amongst them; it's still in the pocket of Dean's jeans."

"How is he, Dean?"

"He's in a bad way in intensive care, but he's fighting hard," Sam paused he wanted to ask something of her, something that she would have every right to refuse, Tarni I would like to thank you for saving Dean and I. If you hadn't of found us when you did, we would probably be dead, but I need you to do one more thing for us."

"Oh as if saving your butts isn't enough," She said with a smile, "So what is it you need?"

"I need you to go back out to the forest and burn the bodies of those beasts."

- TBWNN -

The authorities were due to arrive tomorrow afternoon to remove and identify the human remains found in the cave. Tarni had left Sam with a promise that at first light tomorrow morning she would go back to the forest and she would burn the bodies of the two dead beasts, she would pass off the burnt corpse outside the cave the only corpse one that the authorities would see as a very large grizzly. She had also promised she would not say anything to the authorities about the beasts or what she now knew of what he and Dean did for a so-called job. She would tell them that the now charred body was the grizzly that had attacked the two of them and was responsible for the disappearances.

Sam dosed for most of the afternoon. It was after four o'clock when he buzzed the nurse and asked her if he could please go back to the ICU to see Dean. She had told Sam with a wry smile that Sister Malone had given her strict instructions to take Sam up there when he felt up to it. _If I__'__d known that I would have asked hours ago._

But Sam only smiled at the young nurse, pleased that Sister Malone had kept her word.

"But before I do," She stopped abruptly and went back out the door and returned a minute later holding a neatly folded hospital gown the same as the one Sam currently wore.

Sam looked down at the gown he was already wearing and said, "What's wrong with this one?"

"Well Sam you asked so here goes, to put it bluntly, Anne Malone, told me she overheard the female staff of the ICU discussing your butt and talking about how they would like to check the firmness by squeezing your buns, I'm afraid these gowns don't leave much to the imagination," She did a squeezing motion with her hands.

Sam's face felt suddenly hot and he didn't need a mirror to know he had gone a bright shade of Beetroot red. His eyes darted around the room looking everywhere but at the young nurse.

"Well this is awkward and yes that is blunt."

"Sorry Sam I didn't mean to embarrass you, here you put this on the opposite way round to the one you've got on while I go and get a wheelchair." She placed the gown on the bed covers on top of Sam's legs.

Although it had pulled at his newly repaired throat and chest he managed to slide his arms into the second gown like he was putting on a shirt and tie the strings firmly in place in front at the neck and waist, the IV line in his hand snaking up inside the gowns sleeve and protruding from the gown at the neck.

When she backed into the room a few minutes later pulling a wheelchair behind her, Sam was sitting on the edge of the bed with some of his battered dignity back in place and his face back to a shade he hoped resembled what for him was considered normal.

There was a nurse at Dean's bed replacing an empty IV bag with a full one, as Sam was pushed up to the bed Sam asked her, "How's my brother?"

"Some of his vital signs improved after your last visit, his blood pressure came up a bit, his heart rate improved and his brain wave activity increased."

Sam looked hopefully at her. "So he's getting better then?"

"It's still too early to make the call, he's still very ill, but, he has shown an improvement, yes."

Pippa the nurse that had wheeled Sam to the ICU leaned down, "We'll leave you two to chat; I'll come back in a little while okay?"

"Thank you."

After they'd gone Sam hauled himself to his feet using the bed railing as he had done this morning, making sure his second hospital gown was pulled well down in the back, he had no intentions of giving the ICU staff another free peep show he didn't want his 'buns' firm or otherwise being the main source of conversation throughout the ICU. He looked down at Dean his color seemed to be a little better than this morning, even though he was still very pale his skin looked almost translucent, the bruises around his eye looked even darker than earlier and the freckles that Dean had always hated were standing out like beacons at a treacherous harbor entry across Dean's cheeks and nose. They were always a clear sign of injury or illness in his big brother.

Sam reached down his suddenly shaking hand and smoothed the tufts of Dean's hair back from the bandage wrapped around his head, much the same way nurse Malone had done for him.

"Hey Dean it's Sammy, again. I told you I'd come back later, the nurse told me you showed some improvement after my last visit. I know you are fighting Dean, you see I knew you wouldn't want me to be left alone, so I'm gonna keep bugging you until you get through this."

Sam clasped Dean's fingers with his other hand hoping to instill more strength into his brother and talked, meanwhile the monitors and machines kept up their beeping, whirring, hissing and clicking. Sam talked about anything and everything that came into his head, he went down memory lane. It didn't t seem odd to Sam that all his fondest memories of his younger life included Dean after all he had been the one constant all through Sam's life, except for when Sam was at Stanford and Sam now regretted that he'd cut Dean out of his life for all of that time.

"Hey Dean do you remember the time when-"

Dean had sorted out two schoolyard bullies who were two years older than Dean and six years older than Sam. They'd made the mistake of picking on Sam and had cornered him alone one afternoon, pushing and shoving him back and forth between them until an extra hard shove had sent Sam face first towards the ground. Sam put out his hands trying to save a face plant into the hard concrete covered schoolyard, his palms ending up scrapped raw and bloody. Later as Dean had cleaned and bathed Sam's hands, Dean had said angrily, _"No one picks on my little brother."_ The next afternoon Sam and a couple of his young friends saw the two bullies in the schoolyard and they were both sporting a split lip and matching black eyes, courtesy of Sam's big brother and when the bullies saw Sam and his friends they had turned tail and hurriedly walked almost ran in the other direction across the schoolyard. From that day on they never picked on Sam or any of the other younger kids again. And Dean was from then on a hero to all the kids who were weaker and less able to defend themselves.

When Sam was young and he used to wake in the night from a nightmare, the remnants of the nightmare still clinging to him he'd tip-toed into Dean's room, not Dad's room always Dean's room to stand next to Dean's bed until Dean somehow sensed his presence and he would wake and without saying a word lift the covers and Sam would scoot in beside him. Dean would wrap his arm around Sam's middle and pull him in against him. Sam instantly felt safe and secure with his big brothers arm holding him tight and went right back to sleep and slept without nightmares for the rest of the night.

Dean had been the one who taught Sam to ride a bicycle and been there to pick him up time and time again when he fell telling him not to give up saying he was doin' great and he was getting the hang of it. With Dean's encouragement he was soon tearing up and down the footpath like a seasoned cyclist, afterwards Dean had bathed Sam's skimmed knees and battered elbows telling him how proud he was of him for learning so quickly and for not crying when he fell off.

When Sam was sad or upset, Dean used to play tricks on Dad to cheer Sam up. Dad had always fallen for Dean's clever tricks but soon realized he'd been made a fool of yet again by his oldest son, he'd pretend to be angry but he took one look at their split watermelon smiling faces, he too would drop his angry façade and smile ruffle their hair and hug them and laughingly tell Dean not to do it again. Dad always seemed to know it was Dean who was the culprit.

When Pippa came to take him back to his room, he hoped he had said enough to reverse their roles and it was he, Sam, the little brother who was doing the encouraging, encouraging his big brother his hero to get back on the bicycle and let him be the guardian, provider, savior, protector and hero for a change.

- TBWNN -

The second time it was Dad who came to Dean in the darkness. The darkness that seemed a little lighter and not so all consuming after his Mom had come for him and after he had heard Sam's voice calling him back and telling him he missed him and needed him and not to leave him all alone.

He heard his father's deep voice before he saw him and turned towards the familiar John Winchester true ex-marine tone that always commanded attention, "Hello son."

His father walked towards him on legs hidden by the swirling darkness he stopped 6 feet away. He was smiling and he looked young his skin smooth no lines of worry creasing his forehead or crinkling the corners of his eyes, no scars from hunts gone wrong. It was as if all the years of hunting evil had been wiped away after his death even his hair was dark and glossy devoid of the hint of silver that Dean remembered from the last time he'd seen him. Dad was as Dean remembered him when he was about six or seven not battered and broken his face not showing the toll twenty three years of hunting had taken on him not as he had been when he and Sam had taken one last lingering look into his face before they had set fire to his funeral pyre after they had spirited their father's body away from the hospital morgue.

"Dad are you in heaven too?" Dad didn't answer he continued to smile, so he continued, "I thought you were in hell Dad, I thought you made a deal with that yellow-eyed bastard," Dean wanted to wrap his arms around him and embrace his father just like he had done in that hotel room in Chicago, after he and Sam had been searching for him for ten months. He tried to move closer but something was preventing him, "It's good to see you, you look good. What are you doing here? Have you come to take me to Mom? She's here somewhere I saw her before." Dean fired question after question at his father he wanted to know why his father had appeared here and what he wanted of him.

But his father didn't answer Dean's questions, "Dean, son, you are not meant to be here, it's not your time you've got to go back you've got important work to do, and Sam, he still needs you son. You were always the one who took care of Sam you were the father figure in his life, it was you, not me, but remember your promise to look after him and keep him safe, I know you've kept your promise until now and you can continue to do that. It's not over. I know how much you wanted to go to your mother, but Dean she's not alone anymore you don't have to worry about her or me, we're finally together again." He cocked his head to one side like he was listening to something Dean couldn't hear, and then he looked back to Dean and continued, "Sammy's here now Dean, listen to him son, listen very carefully, and son I'm going to tell you this again, I'm proud of you, go back son go back for Sam and for yourself and for all the people who's destinies and lives are depending on you. Goodbye son, I love you and Sam."

Wow that was some speech coming from Dad, some of the words echoing the ones he'd said to him after Dean had awoken from a coma after that demon possessed semi-trailer driver had t-boned The Impala with his rig and almost totaled them and The Impala, and then minutes later Sam had found Dad dead on the floor of his hospital room. Dean had a feeling that Dad was saying goodbye for now anyway, the last time he would ever see his father or his mother, well until he did really die and actually get to heaven if that was where he was destined to go and not this in between place he was at now, or maybe hell. It was a farewell speech, Dean knew that now, but he didn't want his father to go yet he wanted him to stay a while longer. It was too soon for them to be parted again.

Dean turned around looking into the darkness for Sam, but he wasn't there, "I can't see him dad where is he?" Dean looked again to his father but he was fading away blending back into the darkness. "Dad don't go please."

His father spoke once again before he was completely absorbed back into the darkness, "Listen to Sammy, son."

It was then he heard Sam his voice was all around him, echoing in the darkness. Dean squeezed his eyes shut so he could listen to the words Sam had to say, the words his father seemed to think were so important.

"_**Hey Dean It'**__**s Sammy…. againnn, I told you I**__**'**__**d come back laterrr, the nurse told me you showed some improvement after my last visittt, I know you are fighting Deannn, you see I knew you wouldn**__**'**__**t want me to be left aloneee, so I**__**'**__**m gonna keep bugging you until you get through thisss."**_

Sam was reminiscing about all the things he had done for Sam and with Sam when they were young, his father had told him to listen to Sammy so Dean closed his eyes, listened and remembered. The time he had taught two schoolyard bullies that no one messes with his little brother and then the numerous times Dean had welcomed a tearful Sam into the reassuring comfort of his arms after a nightmare. Dean teaching Sam to ride a bicycle and encouraging him to keep trying after falling and skinning his elbows and knees, telling him how brave he was for not crying. The tricks Dean had played on Dad to make Sam laugh when he was sad, always ending in Dad ruffling their hair and hugging them and all three of them laughing and being like a real family.

Dean opened his eyes and the darkness was definitely lifting It was more indigo now no longer black. Dean spoke into the darkness, "I hear ya Sammy and I'm doin all I can to come back to you. It might take me awhile but I'm coming bro." Sam's persistent pleading, encouraging voice and his father and Dean always obeyed his father like a good son. They made Dean more determined to come back to Sam and when he did he would let Sam play a new role. The role of guardian, savior, protector and hero, because Sam needed to do it for Dean and himself and Dean needed Sam to do it for him.

Because now Dean knew that as much as Sam needed him he needed Sam equally.

Shortly after Sam had been wheeled away from the ICU, the monitors on the machines tracking Dean's precarious hold on the mortal world showed a marked improvement in blood pressure, a stronger heart rate and increased brain activity; the nurse noted the improvement on Dean's chart and also noted that the same thing had happened after his brother's first visit this morning. She looked down at the patient lying before her even with all the bruises and bandages marring his face he was a handsome man. She hoped that the improvements were a sign that he was on the way back.

The next morning Anne Malone was back on duty. She took the IV out of Sam's hand, redressed Sam's throat and chest and applied waterproof bandages over his wounds and his cast so Sam could take a shower. She also gave him two fresh gowns to wear, saying something about getting him some pajamas to wear. Sam didn't like to tell her that he or Dean didn't possess any pajamas they always slept in boxer shorts, bike shorts or sweat pants and a t shirt in the winter.

She was sensitive enough to not mention the discussion the female staff had been having in the ICU about Sam's you-know-what. The long hot shower refreshed Sam after a restless night dreaming about Dean struggling for life two floors above him and waking the pattern repeated until the rising sun cast a golden band of light across the ceiling above Sam's bed.

After a surprisingly good breakfast The sister took Sam up to see Dean as they entered there were two doctors standing near Dean's bed, one Sam recognized as Dr. Dixon that he'd spoken to the day before and the other one Sam had never seen before.

Dr. Dixon looked up from what Sam assumed was Dean's chart and smiled at Sam, "Here's Dean's brother now." He indicated to the dark Hispanic man standing beside him, "Sam you haven't met Dr Vasquez, he was one of the other surgeons that operated on your brother."

The man leaned toward Sam and held out his hand, Sam took the proffered hand, "Sam, I'm pleased to meet the brother of this extraordinary young man," He inclined his head towards Dean. Dr. Vasquez had a South American accent, "Dean is a real fighter we are amazed with the improvement in his condition."

"So much so that we are going to bring him out of the induced coma later today," Dr. Dixon added.

Sam had a problem getting any words out past the lump of emotion and relief that was jamming his throat.

The doctor's were looking at him waiting for him to say something. Somehow he managed to get a few words past the blockade in his throat that was also strangling his vocal cords, "So you're telling me he's going to make it then," _That came out okay?_

Dr. Dixon smiled as he said, "Yes Sam he's going to make it, all his vital signs are improving and he's now past the first critical twenty four hours and I think out of danger, his blood pressure is still low but that should continue to improve. He should wake late this afternoon or early evening, we'll be keeping him on very strong intravenous pain meds so he'll be in and out a lot of the time but you should still be able to let him know you're here."

"Thank you Dr. Dixon and Dr. Vasquez for saving my brother's life," Sam's eyes were filling up with tears of relief.

"You can take some of the credit for that, according to his chart every time you visit him his vital signs improve. There's a lot to be said for the power of love, and the special bond that brothers share cannot be taken lightly," Dr. Vasquez said.

Sam looked up into Dr. Vasquez's dark eyes in their depths Sam saw caring shining from the black irises. His own eyes blurring as the tears he had been holding back spilled over and started a slow descent down his face. He didn't know why but he was surprised that a doctor believed in such a thing as brotherly bonds, "Are you speaking from experience Doctor?"

"Yes I too have a brother and we share the same bond as you and Dean."

Dr. Dixon seemed to think things were getting a little too emotional when he said, "Dean will be in the ICU for another week possibly a little longer he has a long road of recovery and physical therapy in front of him. We'll leave you two to have a few moments together, I'll drop by later."

Dr. Dixon maneuvered Sam's chair close to Dean's bed and then as the doctors left, Dr. Vasquez patted Sam lightly on the arm. It seemed to Sam that a lot of people were patting him lately. _What am I a dog?_

Sam again hauled himself up to stand beside Dean, noticing that he now only had two IV bags not the three he'd had yesterday afternoon. He once again clasped Dean's fingers they were warm and Sam thought that was also a good thing.

"Hey bro it's me again. If you were awake now I know what you'd say; 'no chick flick moments Sammy,' but I need to say this so suck it up. I just spoke to two of your doctors, dude they said you're gonna be okay but you know what I already knew it, because man I know you better than anyone I knew you wouldn't leave me alone in this crap hole of a world and you've never let me down and you're not about to start now," He stood beside his big brother his cheeks wet, "I'm crying again, I'm sure you'd agree I'm such a girl."

Anne Malone came in 5 minutes later Seeing Sam's tears at first she thought they were tears of sadness and heartbreak, _maybe Dean's taken a turn for the worst or is dying?_ But looking into Sam's tearstained face she knew they were tears of joy and relief and she didn't need for Sam to tell her through his tears and hitching breath that Dean was going to be fine. Somehow she knew.

- TBWNN -

It was sometime later when the phone beside Sam's bed rang. He was back in his room settled and dozing in a comfortable reclining chair positioned next to the window so he could look out at Prineville and the green oftheforest in the distance. He was relaxed and at ease his eyes closed the edges of his lips tipped up in a smile he couldn't seem to shake.

When the phone next to him trilled softly Sam frowned wondering who could be calling him, Dean or he knew no one here in Prineville that is of course no one accept the people here at the hospital and the forest ranger Tarni Benton. Then Sam remembered that earlier that morning Tarni was going back to the forest to burn the beast's bodies. It had completely slipped his mind with the good news about Dean's improved condition. It was the only thing he thought about. The beasts had been pushed to the back of his mind and forgotten. Even though they were responsible for so much carnage heartache and death and for Dean being in the ICU and himself sitting here recovering from surgery, still wearing the height of fashion hospital garb he had forgotten.

The small red light on the phone blinked insisting he heed the continuing trill of the phone. Sam reached over and picked it up putting it to his ear, "Hello?"

A tinny voice came back to him, "Hey Sam its Tarni Benton."

"Hey Tarni. How'd it go?"

"I went back to you know do like you asked and when I got there I found nothing."

Sam was puzzled; He didn't know what she meant by found nothing, "What do you mean nothing?"

"I mean nothing as in gone."

"Gone?"

"Yeah they're gone Sam, both of them."

Sam was gripping the phone tight enough to crack the plastic and his knuckles were turning white, "How could they be gone? Do you mean they were eaten by scavengers?"

"No Sam, I mean they're not there, no remains nothing, gone, vanished, not a sign of them. I found distinctive drag marks leading away from outside the cave. I also repelled down to where I found Dean the same nothing and the same drag marks. It looks as though something took the bodies away. I followed the tracks until I lost them and then I came back to the ranger's station. I'm waiting for the authorities from Salem they should be here soon, what shall I tell em?"

Sam's mind was running over what Tarni had just told him; this could mean only one thing there was another one of those beasts out there in the forest.

Sam's musings were interrupted when he became aware of Tarni's voice coming down the line, "Sam, Sam are you still there, Sam?"

"Yeah I'm still here, listen tell the authorities nothing - no wait just tell em the bear that attacked us hasn't been found yet and you're still trying to locate it. Can you do that for me?"

"Yes of course I can."

"Thanks Tarni I owe you one."

"Sam what do you think happened to them?"

He didn't want her to know the truth. She was already more involved in this debacle of a hunt than she should be, but he didn't have a choice, "I hope I'm wrong but I think there might be another one."

Sam heard her draw in a sharp breath, "And you think it took the bodies? What are we going to do?"

"Nothing for now, you just tell the authorities it was a grizzly."

"Okay. A car just pulled up outside it must be them. Sam they'll probably be around to talk to you. I've got to go, talk to you later," With that she hung up.

Sam stared at the phone for a minute before he replaced the receiver in the cradle. He looked out the window into the distance at the hazy edge of the forest.

Somewhere out there another beast was lurking waiting for the next hiker or camper. Waiting for its next meal.

Sam lay his head back against the headrest of the chair and looked up at the ceiling no longer relaxed he let out a pent up breath, and spoke to the empty room. The words were for his brother two floors above him, "Bro we're screwed yet again."

_**To be continued…**_

Thanks for reading. Please review!

_Silvertayl 57_


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5:**

_**Pioneer Memorial Hospital, Prineville Oregon**_

The authorities moved quickly it was only an hour after Tarni's phone call they paid Sam had a visit.

Sam answered all their questions as straightforward and as honestly as he could accept for the description of the beast telling them it was a large grizzly that attacked him and Dean, causing their injuries and the reason for Dean's fall over the cliff. He did tell them about the engraved watch belonging to Graham Tyler that they had found in the cave the watch that was still in the pocket of Dean's jeans. One of the men went off to locate the clothing Dean had been wearing when he was air-lifted into the hospital so he could retrieve the watch while the other man continued asking Sam about the bear attack, just when Sam was sure the questions were done the second man came back into the room carrying a plastic zip lock bag containing the watch. He held up the blood encrusted watch for the other man to see. The dried blood coating the watch was… Dean's blood.

The men left in a hurry after Nurse Malone came in and shooed them out saying in as stern a voice as Sam heard from her thus far that they had to leave now as Sam had to rest and did they realize that he had undergone surgery less than 48 hours before. Before the men left the one who had spoken to Sam said that they would need to interview Dean at a later date, and that they would be in touch if they needed any more information from Sam.

Fifteen minutes after they had gone Sam had another visitor the oh so charming Dr. Cummings. He brusquely examined Sam's injuries and in the same brusque manner told him that he would be discharged the day after tomorrow with some oral antibiotics to ward off any infection and that he would need to come back to outpatients in ten days to get the sutures removed.

- TBWNN -

There was no more darkness. It had gradually lifted and dissipated to a point where he was in a warm, light place. And now he was becoming aware of things. First sounds. Sounds that seemed strangely familiar as they insinuated their way into his consciousness and they were getting louder too, annoyingly so. _I need to try and find out what that is so I can make it stop… but I__'__m so tired just wanna go back to that place, that place where it__'__s quiet and peaceful._

But before that happened annoying voices were added to the sounds of those voices was one that he wanted to hear one he knew better than his own. _Sammy!_ _I need to see him. To see if he's okay_. But to see him he had to open his eyes and they were shut. He could remember Sam's voice coming to him earlier when he was in that strange dark place before the light came and took away the darkness. Sam's voice telling him that he had saved him again and for him to come back to him and not leave him alone.

With enormous effort Dean forced his eyes open knowing he wouldn't be able to keep them open for too long and already he was having a battle to keep them that way. A white ceiling swam into focus. _Okay a ceiling so where__'__s Sam?_

Sliding his heavy eyes to the right Sam's face filled his vision. He smiled a thin lipped typical Sam smile and said softly; "Hey Dean welcome back," There was a glisten of tears shining in his hazel eyes. Dean thought he looked drawn and pale and there was a bandage at his throat. Dean wanted to tell him he looked like shit and opened his mouth to tell him so but… there was something down his throat pressing against his esophagus and his vocal chords preventing him. _Damn it, another respirator. I hate those freakin' things._

Sam seeing the distress in Dean's eyes his bruised and swollen left eye barely open showing only a slit of green, his right eye bloodshot Sam placed a comforting hand on Dean's upper arm and squeezed gently saying, "Dean calm down you're on a respirator, let it do the work, don't fight it."

_Thank you Captain Obvious but I kinda' figured that out all by myself. _Dean did calm himself when he saw that his agitation was transferring itself to Sam as well. _Okay I know the drill let the respirator do the work don't fight it… so tired can't stay awake._

The weight of physical trauma and the effects of strong medications on Dean's body became too great a burden and his eyes slid closed, but with an even greater effort than the first time Dean again managed to force open his eyes and back to Sam. He hoped Sam could see in his eyes, hidden in their depths what he was trying to convey. _You okay, Sammy?_

Sam got the message his brother was trying to convey. He knew what Dean wanted to hear, the brotherly bond Dr. Vasquez had talked about was written in Dean's expressive green eyes. He was in big brother mode only moments after awakening from a medically induced coma. And as always Dean's first concern was for Sam never himself. _I know why he does that it's just who he is._

"Yeah Dean I'm fine…" then added cryptically, "Now."

Dean's eyebrows pulled into a frown, brow furrowed and his green eyes looked puzzled; Sam quickly allayed the new fear he saw dawning in Dean's eyes, "Now, now that you're back with me bro. You had me worried for awhile; I thought you were going to leave me."

_No never not now after what dad told me, and what I heard you say Sam._

"Go back to sleep Dean, you need to rest, I'll see you later okay? I promise I'll be here when you wake up. I'm not going anywhere."

Dean could feel himself being dragged back under, the realms of sleep were beckoning him he closed his eyes and let it take him. He'd seen Sam, seen he was okay with his own eyes, heard it from his own mouth and that was enough for now.

As Sam watched Dean's eyes close in one way he was glad that his brother had found healing sleep again but in another way he was sorry that he couldn't see Dean's green eyes and to know he was back to stay with him.

Sam wasn't going to say anything about the surviving beast. Not yet anyway Dean was still too ill to cope with that news and Sam didn't want to hinder Dean's recovery by having him worrying that someone would met the same fate as the other hikers. If Dean knew he would be discharging himself and go running off into the forest to spite his own health if he thought more innocent people were in danger from a supernatural beast.

As he'd promised Sam was there next two times Dean awakened all be it only briefly, before Dean had sank back into a heavily medicated sleep. If he could have Sam would have stayed all night beside his brother. But the night sister in charge of the ICU made kicked him out sending him back to his room for the night. Sam went reluctantly, silently vowing to himself that he would come back first thing in the morning, and sit with Dean and he would stay all day. _Just try and stop me._

- TBWNN -

It was a big a day and a half later not only was it the day Sam was being released from hospital but Dean's condition had improved to the point that they were going to take him off the respirator. Sam was at Dean's bedside, dressed his own clothes they were rumpled, covered in dirt from the forest and his shirt was tattered and torn and caked with dried blood that had turned a rusty color. Sam was glad to be out of the hospital gown with certain body parts covered in the denim of his jeans and away from the prying eyes of the nurses.

Sam knew how much Dean hated being on a respirator and having a tube down his throat. He didn't need to see the look in Dean's eyes to know that he was anxious to have it all gone. Dr. Vasquez was there to do the honors; he lifted the back of the bed up so Dean was half sitting up. As he disconnected the respirator from the end of the tube protruding from Dean's mouth he explained to Dean what he was going to do and that Dean would cough after the tube was removed. When he was ready to proceed he asked Dean to take a deep breath and to breathe out and as Dean did as he asked he swiftly pulled out the tube, on queue Dean began to cough. After a minute the coughing subsided and the nurse fitted a nasal oxygen cannula in Dean's nose and then placed some ice chips on his tongue. It eased the raw dry feeling in his throat.

Dean wished his sore throat was the worst of his problems the coughing had awakened pain all over his body, his ribs, chest, abdomen, shoulder, legs and his head which was pounding in rhythm with the beating of his heart. God he hurt! He couldn't remember in all his years of hunting ever hurting this much. The pain made him break out in perspiration he was trembling uncontrollably, nausea well up in his stomach threatening to overwhelm him. He was dizzy and light-headed and as he looked over at Sam he could see his worried face swirling and blurring in and out of focus.

Sam leaned down and smoothed the hair away from the bandage around his head, his touch gentle, voice coming from seemingly far away, "Dean you're alright it will pass breathe through it."

Dean drew in a couple of shaky breathes and the dizziness and sickness began to settle and after a few minutes the pain, nausea and trembling had subsided to a bearable level leaving Dean exhausted and feeling like he'd run a marathon.

Sam was still stroking his hair and Dean heard his soothing concerned voice, "Here take some more ice."

Dean opened eyes he didn't remember closing. Sam was holding the cup of ice chips; he scooped out a small amount and Dean obediently opened his mouth and let Sam place the cooling soothing ice on his tongue. It tasted like nectar of the gods.

"Dean," Dr. Vasquez said, "how's the pain level, out of ten?"

Dean managed to croak out of his still dry raw throat, "Eight bordering on nine."

"Do you need something?"

"I think so…. yeah."

Sam was shocked into speechlessness and alarmed he had never heard his brother admit to being in that much pain or to needing anything for pain before, but then his brother had never been attacked by a giant beast and then fallen off a cliff before either.

The doctor nodded towards the nurse hovering nearby, she already had a needle prepared at Dr. Vasquez's earlier request. He knew Dean would need it.

The nurse injected it into the IV port in Dean's and then moved away to write on Dean's chart.

"That will give work quickly and give you some relief," The doctor said. He smiled at Dean's already dreamy look. He was blinking slowly like an owl in the dark the medication coursing through his blood stream melting the pain away.

"The…good stuff, hey….doc." Dean said as a silly smile crossed his face and the blinking of his eyes got slower and further apart.

"For you Dean Amigo only the best," Dr. Vasquez said still smiling, watching as this time Dean's eyes closed and remained closed.

Sam was still smoothing Dean's hair, looking into Dean's pale, battered and bruised face.

To Sam's surprise, Dean's eyes opened once more and settled on Sam, "Sammy?"

"Yeah Dean I'm here, what is it?"

"You... 'K?"

"We had this conversation already but yeah Dean I'm good," Sam said softly using one of Dean's frequently used lines.

Dean seemed satisfied with the answer and his eyes closed again as the medication took him away from the pain for awhile at least.

Sam looked down at his now sleeping brother his hand still resting on Dean's soft springy hair.

Sam had forgotten Dr. Vasquez was there until he spoke, "Sam, Dean is an amazing man, you're lucky to have him for a brother amigo."

Sam shot a quick glance at the doctor, "I know doctor I know."

- TBWNN -

As Sam stepped out of the hospital doors, he stopped dead suddenly realizing belatedly that he had no way of getting back to the motel. The Impala was as far as he knew still parked in the car park at the entrance to the forest trail. He would have to go back inside and get the number for to call a cab. Sam reached into his pocket to pull out his cell when he heard a voice calling his name, turning in the direction of the voice he saw Tarni walking towards him skirting around cars parked in the hospital car park.

She smiled when she came up beside him; Sam noted she seemed genuinely pleased to see him. Returning her smile he greeted her. "Hey Tarni how'd it go with the authorities?"

"That's the reason I'm here I wanted you to know what they said. Have you been discharged?" Tarni added.

"Yeah just now, I was going to call a cab to take me to the motel; I think the car is still parked-"

Before Sam could finish Tarni said. "Don't bother I'll take you to the car; we can talk on the way. I also have something that I think belongs to you."

Tarni recounted the authorities visit. They had taken the remains from the cave with them back to Salem to identify the victims and do some further forensic testing at the lab. They had seemed satisfied with what they had found in the forest and coupled with Sam's statement of the bear attack on him and Dean had more or less convinced them that a bear was the cause of the deaths.

"Did you see any signs of anymore of those creatures while you were with them?" Sam asked Tarni as she'd driven him to the trail and the impala.

"No none, it's like there was never anything there at all," Tarni glanced at Sam, "You know about this kind of stuff. What do you think I should do?"

Sam thought for a moment before he answered, "Is there some way you can keep people out of that part of the forest?"

"Not really, but I can give it a try, but it won't be easy. Why what have you got in mind?"

"It would only be until I recover enough to go in track the other one and get rid of it. That is of course if it's still there."

Twenty minutes later Sam was climbing gingerly into the Impala, the movement of sliding behind the wheel dragging on the still tender stitches. Before Tarni had left him she handed him his shot gun, which she said she had found beside him in the forest. Sam thanked her and watched as she got into the rangers truck and left heading back to the ranger's station,

He threw the empty gun into the trunk and drove back to the motel. The elderly receptionist hobbled out of the office on arthritic knees after seeing Sam pull up outside their room.

She babbled on for a couple of minutes about how she'd heard about what had happened to them and asked how he and Dean were doing, telling Sam that they had held their room for them and that only the maid had been in to clean the bathroom and change the bed linen. Sam thanked her politely and pushed the key in the door anxious to get out of his dirty, ripped, bloodstained clothes and into a hot shower before heading back to the hospital.

- TBWNN -

Dean amazed the doctors and hospital staff with the speed of his recovery, every day his condition improved. Sam spent as much time as possible with him practically camped in the ICU next to Dean's bed. The staff had to kick him out a few times when he'd over-stayed his welcome.

After eight days in the ICU Dean was deemed well enough to be transferred to a room two floors down, which pleased Sam and Dean both as Sam could stay in the room the extended visiting hours he'd managed to con out of the staff. Two days later after Dean complained so long and hard to the staff about his ass being numb from lying on it for ten days. Dean's doctors consulted and decided it was okay to lower and remove the slings supporting the metal braces screwed into Dean's legs and with a great deal of maneuvering and cussing from Dean he was moved into an arm chair positioned beside the bed. It took 3 staff and twenty minutes before Dean was settled white faced and sweating in the chair. His mouth pinched in a line of pain, the metal braces propped up in front of him on a foot stool and a mound of pillows for support, his left arm strapped in the shoulder brace and the cast on his right arm resting against the arm rest of the chair. Seeing the look on Dean's face nurse Malone who was on duty that day had brought him some strong oral pain killers and waited as he took the pills and the cup of water in shaking hands and swallowed them with a gulp. Dean smiled at her gratefully, thanking her with his expressive eyes.

Two days after that first foray from the bed and now that the bruising around Dean's spine had settled and he had recovered from the surgery to repair the internal damage, he was now able to open his damaged eye fully and the bruising around the eye had faded from indigo to purple-blue to blue to green and now was a nice shade of yellow they removed the last of the IV lines from his hand, but to Dean's disappointment left the catheter in down there because there was no way Dean could get himself to the bathroom as yet and they started him on physical therapy for his shoulder and legs and to generally keep the muscles strong and to stop any muscle wastage. It was only a few minutes that first day and even that left Dean exhausted once again coated in a layer of perspiration, white faced and shaking, the pain in his legs throbbing with every beat of his heart, leaving him breathless with its intensity. _How come a few simple exercises could hurt so much? _The physical-therapist, Pete, seeing how badly the session had affected Dean patted him on the arm and told him it would get easier and less painful with every day.

If looks could kill the look Dean gave Pete that day meant Pete was already salt and burned. _It__'__s alright for you to say, you sadist. You're not the one held together with mettle, screws and stitches._ When Pete caught the look in his patients eyes he made a hasty retreat mumbling something about seeing him tomorrow.

"Sam tomorrow bring rock salt cuz that dude is possessed." Dean said after Pete's hurried departure.

"He's just doing his job."

"Well if you ask me no ordinary human could enjoy inflicting that much pain on a fellow human being."

Sam knew Dean was getting better when he started to bug Sam about all kind of things, his Baby mostly. Asking daily was Sam looking after her, and did she miss him?

This last enquiry made Sam snort with laughter. "Dean it's just a car not a living breathing thing."

"Bite your tongue; she's more than just a car, you know that Sam."

"Yeah I know she is."

Sam surprised Dean the next morning. The phone that was thankfully within easy reach of the chair where Dean was sitting rang. Dean answered it awkwardly with his right hand, the cast banging against the plastic of the phone. "Hey Dean are you sitting near the window? Coz I want you to look outside."

"You want me to look out the window, why Sam?"

"Just do it will ya, jerk?"

"Alright, I'm doin' it, bitch."

Dean leaned to his right and peered out the window his eyes were immediately drawn down to the front of the car park. Sam was standing leaning one elbow on the open door of Dean's black baby with his cell to his ear and when he saw Dean's face appear silhouetted in the window of his room he lifted his hand in a wave and saying into the phone. "Surprise!"

"Ah Sammy you brought Baby to see me, and you had her polished too."

"Well she wanted to look her best for her daddy."

"Thanks Sammy this is awesome."

"You're welcome and its Sam, I'll be up in a minute I've got something else for you."

"Something else, what is it?" Dean sounded like an excitable six year old. Sam could almost imagine him bouncing up and down in his chair.

"You'll see in a minute."

Five minutes later Sam came through the door carrying a large bag of peanut M&Ms out in front of him.

Dean's eyes lit up when he saw the bag. "Peanut my favorite. Hand em over Sasquatch." Sam dangled the bag in front of Dean, just out of reach. "Quite screwin' around Sam."

Sam threw the bag into Dean's lap.

"Dude. Careful injured man here." Dean stated sarcastically.

Sam perched his lanky frame on the edge of the bed. Dean tore open the bag using a combination of his casted hand and his teeth and stuffed as many as would fit into his mouth and crunched into the colorful candy. The crunching was accompanied by a contented sigh. "Ummm."

Sam's lips quirked up in a smile as he saw the joy the candy brought to Dean's current painful and boring existence. "You gonna share or you gonna eat em all?"

Dean reluctantly held the bag out to Sam. "Don't eat too many bitch." Dean said around a mouthful of candy. cheeks bulging.

"Thanks jerk."

-TBWNN -

_**Pioneer Memorial Hospital, Prineville Oregon**_

Dean had always hated hospitals whether it was as a patient or even just visiting and as he began to recover, he became impatient to be an outpatient rather than an inpatient and be outta here and back into the fresh air and sunshine. To get his beloved Impala back on the road with his geek boy sidekick beside him researching their next hunt with his the laptop open on his bony knees. He had somehow managed to convince the staff using his version of Sam's puppy dog eyes that he was able get around on a walking frame; all be it awkwardly because of the cast on his right wrist and with his shoulder not healed enough to take too much weight.

It would be another three weeks before the braces and screws were removed from his legs and he would have to remain here until at least after that, possibly longer but he needed to be able to get around in some fashion to relieve the boredom to be in motion. So he put his pride in a holding pattern and used the frame.

"This is embarrassing, I feel and look like an eighty year old, maybe I should challenge old man Bernstein three rooms down to a race. I've seen him in action with one of these and I reckon I could take him." Dean had commented to Sam as he struggled, trying to maneuver the walking frame into the bathroom.

Sam had let out a full-blooded laugh at that saying through his laughter. "Dude it's good to have you back, I've missed you."

Dean halted his frame in the bathroom doorway turning his head to look over his shoulder at Sam lying sprawled out across his bed. It was good to see Sam laughing again and Sam's laughter was contagious, he let out a chuckle. "You think this is funny huh? Nice Sammy."

Dean continued his trek to the bathroom and over to the toilet. Balancing precariously he managed to pull down the sweat pants and boxers Sam had brought him to wear although the sweat pants had to be cut off above the knees so Dean could get the cumbersome metal frames around his legs into the leg holes of them. But this was better than the hospital gown he'd been forced to wear for the first couple of weeks.

"Hey Sam." He called out to Sam through the half open door.

"Yeah Dean."

"There is an up-side to this invalid thing though." The toilet flushed, and the faucet was turned on briefly.

"And what's that?" Sam raised his voice slightly to be heard over the filling toilet. Not at all sure he really wanted to know.

Dean maneuvered the frame back through the doorway before he answered a smirk on his face. "All the hot young nurses are lining up to give me a sponge bath." He wiggled his eyebrows up and down to emphasize his meaning.

Sam lifted his head off the bed and looked at Dean. Dean hadn't been able to maintain his regular once-a-month haircut while he'd been in the hospital and his hair had grown longer than Sam had seen it since they were kids. Light brown strands curling over his ears and at the back touching the collar of his t-shirt.

"I so didn't want to know that. But then I'm not surprised because with all that hair you got goin on you're starting to look like me. You know the good-looking brother, the one with the firm buns." Sam said smiling as his head flopped back down onto the bed waiting for Dean's inevitable reaction.

"Dude you need a white cane and a Labrador or you're freakin kiddin yourself if you think you're better looking than me even on your best day." Dean replied good-naturedly.

By the next day Dean had perfected the use of the frame. However the staff still insisted that he be taken down to the rehabilitation unit in a wheelchair. Dean had decided he didn't mind this as nurses of all sizes; colors and ages that were on duty at the time would fight over who was going to push him to the elevator and to the rehab unit.

Dean had to admit that Pete was right; the physical therapy did get easier and less painful with each session and he was now slowly building his strength back up. Although he still tired easily and his punctured lung was still giving him trouble and leaving him breathless whenever he over-exerted himself and his heeling ribs still pained him when he moved certain ways.

Every day, weather permitting Sam would wheel Dean out into the courtyard at the rear of the hospital and let him hobble along with his frame looking quite comical with the metal braces screwed into his legs, cut off pants and a t-shirt with one sleeve cut out for the shoulder brace and sling and the cast on the other hand. Dean said he didn't care how ridiculous he looked he was practicing for when they released him from this prison. Sam walked closely beside him with the wheelchair ready to lend a hand if Dean required it even though Sam knew he would never ask for help.

On one of the days it was raining or there was a cold breeze blowing in off the forest, Dean couldn't go out for his walk so Sam would sit with Dean in his room they were unusually quiet, enjoying a companionable silence both looking at the patterns the rain made as it trickled and traversed its way down the outside of the window. Looking like it was trying to find a way in before it disappeared below the window frame and out of sight to the windows below on the next level. The sky beyond the glass was gray and misty heavy rain clouds hanging over the top of the trees at the edge the forest in the distance.

This day there was a rap on the door and before either of them could react it swung open and in walked the two men from the crime scene authorities in Salem that had interviewed Sam about the bearattacks and the discovery of the remains in the cave.

Dean was prepared as Sam had warned him that the men would be back to interview him. It had seemed so long ago now and so much had happened in the mean time that Sam had forgotten that they would return, however, they had plenty of time to synchronize their story about thebear attack. He knew Dean wouldn't let him down with his version of that day almost five weeks ago.

Sam had also told Dean that he had to tell Tarni about their job hunting evil and that she knew about the beasts and had actually seen them herself and had even gone back and burnt their remains to help cover for them. Sam however had felt Dean wasn't ready to learn that there was at least one beast out there. Besides the need to tell Dean hadn't arisen as Tarni had been keeping in touch over the passing weeks and so far nothing had happened to indicate that there was even another beast. Sam had begun to hope that maybe he was wrong about another creature lying in wait out there.

The two men seemed happy with what Dean told them in answer to their questions and said that all thirty seven victims had been identified from dental records and jewelry and other belongings they had found including the Graham Tyler's watch that Dean had found. The coroner had ruled the causes of death as bear attack and now that they had interviewed Dean the case would be officially closed.

- TBWNN -

It was two weeks later to the day Dean had his metal braces and screws removed and six days after that he was discharged from the hospital with strict verbal and a thick wad of written instructions on what to do and what not to do; a half dozen prescriptions for medications including pain killers and antibiotics. He was to return as an outpatient to the hospital rehabilitation unit three times a week for the next month to continue with his physical therapy and rehab in the pool to keep his recovery on track.

The day Dean was discharged eight weeks and one day after he was airlifted in, there was a parade of people coming in and out of Dean's room to say goodbye and wish him well amongst those people was Dr. Stanton from the ER, Dr. Dixon and Dr. Vasquez Dean's two main surgeons out of the five that had saved his life. A range of nurses again of all shapes, sizes, colors and ages, two of the physical therapists, Pete was one of them and even the staff from the kitchen who delivered the meals popped in to say goodbye.

It still amazed Sam the effect Dean had on people. Dean's charisma and charm seemed to attract people like moths to a flame and there was a genuine fondness and admiration for his brother clearly evident in the hospital staff that came to farewell Dean, staff that had helped in his recovery no matter how small the roll they had played in it they all came.

Missouri was the only person Sam knew who Dean thought didn't like him. _"__Missouri likes you Sam, but she doesn't like me. I don__'__t know why. What could I have done or said to make her dislike me?__" _Sam knew Missouri didn't dislike Dean and was actually extremely fond of Dean and thought of Dean and him as family. She did like to stir him up and see what kind of reaction she got. And Dean always rose to the bait.

After Sam thought there couldn't possibly be any other people in the hospital left that hadn't stopped by Sam took an envelope from the pocket of his jeans. "I thought you might like these back before your escort outta this place arrives." Sam said as he threw the small buff colored envelope at Dean.

His hunter instincts kicked in as Dean reached up and plucked the small yellow missile out of the air with his right hand now thankfully free of the cast.

Dean looked skeptical as he eyed the envelope in his hand. "What's in it?" He asked as he looked back at Sam.

"Why don't you open it and find out?" Sam answered as he inclined his head towards the envelope.

Dean fingered the items through the envelope trying to gauge its contents. His green eyes shone and his lips twitched with the beginning of a smile when he felt the familiar shapes.

He tore the end off of the envelope and tipped the contents into the palm of his hand. The horned creature on his brass amulet stared up at him. Sam had given him the amulet one Christmas many years ago when they were still kids, and for that reason alone Dean never took it off. The brown leather cord slipping through his fingers, his silver ring catching the light from above and winking at him and his watch. The watch Sam and Dad had given him for his twentieth birthday. Dean looked at the engraving: _**TO DEAN HAPPY BIRTHDAY LOVE DAD AND SAM**_. Dean felt a lump of emotion rise in his throat and his eyes start to sting as he looked down at the items. Neither he nor Sam had many worldly possessions and only a few of those he considered precious and apart from Baby and Sam the things he held in his hand were them.

"I thought I'd never see these again. Where did you find them?" Dean asked as he slipped the cord over his head the ring onto the ring finger of his right hand and the watch onto his left wrist.

"The envelope was in a plastic bag with the remains of your clothes one of the nurses from the ICU gave it to me after they transferred you down here."

Dean twisted the amulet in his fingers. "Thanks Sammy."

"You're welcome. I'm afraid the rest of the stuff in the bag had to be thrown away. The clothes were beyond repair and soaked with blood. The boots you're wearing now I salvaged the blood was a bitch to get out though."

"Damn it that was my favourite t-shirt too, I….."

Before Dean could say anything else Anne Malone appeared in the open doorway with a wheelchair. Dean took one look at it and said. "Ah come on, not that damned wheelchair again?"

Nurse Malone placed her hands on her hips and gave Dean as stern look. "Young man, do not take that tone with me, its hospital policy, now in you get, or you can stay for awhile longer if you'd rather?" Her normally soft Irish voice laced with an underlying tone not to be disobeyed.

Dean's cheeks flared red with embarrassment and he lowered his eyes from hers. "Sorry sister."

Sam looked on with a smile on his face. No man and only a handful of women could make his big brother blush with embarrassment particularly one old enough to be their mother.

Nurse Malone saw Sam's smirk and said. "What do you think you're smiling at Sam, help your brother."

Sam's smile was instantly wiped away as he crossed to Dean's side and took the crutch that Dean had now progressed to using from him as he lowered himself into the wheelchair.

It was Dean's turn to smile when he saw Sam's reaction to her command; he hadn't seen Sam react that way to anyone else's voice except their father. They made their way to the elevator Sam following behind carrying Dean's crutch and a small bag containing Dean's meager belongings.

Ten minutes later when they were at the front entrance to the hospital, Sam took Dean's bag and went to bring the car around to the patient drop off and pick-up area Sister Malone stood with Dean as he sat in the hated chair waiting for Sam.

Dean couldn't stop a smile from creeping across his face as Sam pulled his baby up beside them.

As Dean stood up from the wheelchair Sam rushed around to the passenger's side and opened the door before he began the arduous task of getting in Dean ran his hand along the top of the window saying under his breath. "It's good to see you Baby it's been awhile. Looks like Sammy's been looking after my girl."

Sam smiled hearing Dean's whispered endearments to his pride and joy. Dean was also smiling his lips tipped up at the corners. Sam fussed settling Dean onto the seat, putting the crutch in the back within easy reach. Leaning into the passenger door Sam tried to put the seatbelt around Dean. Seeing Sam's intention Dean slapped his hand away. "Stop fussing Grandma, I'm not a four year old, and I'm not gonna fall out."

Sam muttered an apology and closed the door. He gave a smile of thanks to Sister Malone and reached out to shake her hand. Ignoring Sam's outstretched hand she stood on tip-toes and placed a kiss on Sam's cheek. Sam blushed prettily as he hurried around to the driver's side and got in.

Dean lifted his hand to her from inside the car saying. "Thanks Sister for everything."

She suddenly leaned in through the window and also placed a gentle kiss on Dean's cheek. "Now you be careful you hear I don't want to see either of you back in my ward any time soon." She took two steps back from the car and waited as Sam turned the key and the engine came to life then slowly the car moved away.

She stood watching the big black car as it pulled onto the road and disappeared from sight. She had been a nursing sister for thirty two years the last eleven of those years here in Oregon. She was nursing before those two were even born, but in all those thirty two years not many of her patients had gotten to her the way these two young much too handsome for their own good brothers had. They had gotten under her skin and although she was pleased to see Sam now fully recovered and Dean well his way back to good health, she was also sorry that she would no longer see them every time she started a shift and again at the end of every shift and all the times in between.

She sighed and went back into the hospital there were other patients waiting that still needed the care and attention her chosen profession demanded of her.

_**Prineville, Oregon**_

They settled into a routine quite different from what they were used too. Three times a week Sam would take Dean to his rehab appointment at the hospital and wait in the hospital cafeteria with his laptop a cup of coffee and a donut always buying an extra one for Dean as well, because Dean loves donuts, or sometimes he'd take his coffee and donut out into the courtyard behind the hospital until Dean was finished and ready to go, or as Dean put it they'd finished torturing him.

Dean applied himself to the rehab with gusto and determination no whining or complaints which surprised Sam at first but then Sam knew why. Dean never liked to be in one place for too long and Dean knew that if he gave the rehab his all and did all the right things the doctors had expected of him as far as his recovery was concerned, he and Sam could move on and find the next hunt. The next people who needed their specialized skills and next evil sons-of-bitches that needed to be dispensed with. In the way that only Sam and him and other hunters could do.

After Dean's second rehab visit he'd surprised Sam by asking him to drop him at a hairstylist he'd spotted on the main street of Prineville so he could get a long overdue haircut.

Sam waited outside in the Impala. The autumn sunshine warmed his face through the open window, listening to a local radio station. When a news break came on Sam listened to see if there was anything that might suggest the beast was back.

Dean emerged from the hairdresser aptly named: _**A CUT ABOVE**_ some forty minutes later. His light brown hair trimmed back to his usual style and artfully gelled up in the front. Sam watched as he approached noting that Dean was doing as the doctor and PT's had ordered using his lightweight aluminum crutch. Dean was stuffing a piece of paper into the pocket of his jacket.

Sam waited until Dean was settled into the car his crutch propped against the passenger door beside him before he asked. "What's on the paper?"

Before answering Dean dug into his pocket and produced the piece of paper unfolding it with a serious expression he handed the paper to Sam. "Patti – 0527558147," Sam read aloud before he handed it back to a smiling Dean. "Dude, you were in there for like forty minutes and you came out with her cell number?" Sam asked incredulously.

"Dude what can I say, when you got it you got it."

"You're unbelievable." Sam said shaking his head as he turned the key and started the engine.

"You know it Sammy."

Sam rolled his eyes and said with a bow of his head towards Dean. "Where to now Milord?"

Dean was smiling. "Bout time you learnt your place peasant, to the gun shop dude I need to get a new gun to replace the one I lost when I took a leap of faith off that damned cliff."

"A leap of faith? Dean you fell."

"Whatever."

A minute later Sam pulled the car up four doors down from:

_**JACKSON**__**'**__**S**_

_**FIRE ARMS,**_

_**AMMUNITION AND**_

_**HUNTING SUPPLIES.**_

Dean hurried out of the car and into the shop as quickly as he could encumbered by the crutch. He was like a kid in a candy shop. If his legs would have allowed he would have been bouncing up and down as he walked around the shop touching everything that he could lay his hands on and that meant everything that wasn't locked away his green eyes sparkling and as round as saucers. The bearded man behind the counter had eyed him suspiciously until they had both produced their fake private investigators IDs.

With Prineville being a small town everyone knew everyone turned out the Grizzly Adams wanna be had heard about them and what had happened in the forest. Grizzly told them his niece worked at the hospital and come home telling the story to her family about the two private investigators who had come to investigate the missing hikers and got attacked by a big ol' grizzly.

An hour later they headed back to the motel having stocked up on much needed rounds for the shotguns blank casing to make the rock salt rounds full clips for Sam's Glock and Dean an exact replica of the Colt 1911 full clips plus a brand new Bowie knife replacing Dean's favorite knife that the beasts had taken the first night in the forest before they were attacked.

- TBWNN -

Three days later on the way back from yet another of Dean's rehab session Dean broached a subject that had been nagging at Sam's mind. "I've been thinking."

"Oh no Dean you didn't hurt yourself did you?" Sam answered mimicking horror, his hazel eyes wide with fake concern.

"Smart ass, I overheard at rehab that there's a poker game on at that bar up the road from the motel tonight. I thought I might see if I can sit in."

"No Dean no poker, not yet, you're not… ready." Sam said with force all humor wiped from his face.

"Not ready are you kiddin' me? It's not like I have to jog there do fifty push-ups before and after and jog back to the motel Sam. All I have to do is sit in a chair to play and we could do with the money Sam. I don't know about you but all I got is forty eight bucks and some change, it's not gonna go far and I maxed out my credit card at the gun shop the other day. "

"I got money."

"Oh yeah? Tell me how much? And while your about it what are you using to pay for the motel?

"I got it covered."

"With what Sam? I know your credit card is in as bad a shape as mine and in case you haven't noticed we don't have a weekly regular salary coming in."

"The motel owner felt so awful about what happened to us she's cut the weekly rate in half and that's with breakfast still included."

"How long before we can't pay it Sam and it doesn't bring us in any cash. We need cash. We've been here for nine weeks and we'll be here for another three at least. We need some cash now Sam." Dean repeated.

Dean was right but that didn't mean Sam had to like the idea. He knew Dean still got a lot of pain in his healing legs, particularly at night and after the rehab sessions and took the prescribed painkillers the good stuff as Dean called it at night in order to dull the pain enough to get much needed healing sleep. And if he was going to play poker he had to be alert and on his game.

Sam agreed all be it reluctantly and he couldn't argue with Dean's logic and he was a little worried about how they were gonna pay for the motel next week as he was down to his last 60 bucks.

"Okay with two conditions."

"Conditions, what conditions?" Dean said suspiciously.

Sam counted them off on his fingers. "One, I come with you to keep you outta trouble."

Dean nodded his assertion. "Okay."

"And two you will not drink anything other than water or soda, and-"

"Wait can't I have a beer at least?" Dean's brows pulled down in question.

Sam shook his head in denial. "No Dean you're still on some heavy pain meds that can't be mixed with alcohol of any kind, and three-" Before Sam could continue Dean interrupted.

"Whoa whoa back up a bit, you said two conditions not three."

"Did I? Oh well I thought of a third."

"Ah come on Sam, give me a break will ya?"

"Okay here's the deal," He paused for effect noting he had Dean's full attention. "Either you agree to the third condition or no poker for you tonight."

At that moment Sam had sounded so much like their dad. It brought a memory to Dean of when he and Sam were in grade school they'd argued with Dad about something they wanted to do or somewhere they wanted to go that Dad wouldn't agree too. Dean could see by the set of dad's mouth he was determined and would except no argument; it was he way or no way. Sam had that look now so for Dean it was agree or else, no poker and that meant no cash.

"Who died and made you god," he paused before adding. "Okay Adolf what's the third one?" Trying hard in spite of himself not to smile at Sam's expression.

Sam ticked off a third finger. "You've only been outta hospital for a week, so you have to rest this afternoon."

"Come on Sam I'm a big boy now I don't need an afternoon nap."

"Suit yourself, so no poker for you then."

"Dude that's blackmail." Dean said exasperated.

"Yep."

Dean looked at Sam and knew he was not gonna win this one; _I guess an afternoon nap was a small price to pay to get a game of poker and to solve our immediate cash flow problem._

Dean looked out the windshield and mumbled. "Alright deal."

Sam was still looking at him. "What was that Dean I didn't quite catch it?" He said one hand behind his ear.

"I said alright it's a deal." He practically yelled in Sam's face.

Sam's lips turned up as he smiled. "You see how easy that was? I knew you'd see reason."

Dean turned back to look out the windshield, under his breath he muttered. "Bitch."

Sam seemed to have acquired the hearing of Superman when he said in reply. "I heard that, Jerk."

- TBWNN -

Sam had stuck to the third condition of their agreement like a fly stuck to fly paper he made Dean rest in the afternoon. Dean lay on his bed his arms tucked behind his head watching Sam where he sat on a chair at the end of Dean's bed; keeping a vigilant watch like some sort of prison guard over Dean. "_So he wouldn't be distracted,"_ by watching the TV, having confiscated the remote he held it out of Dean's reach arms crossed over his chest as he waited for Dean to close his eyes.

"Dude, how you expect me to sleep with you staring at me like I'm a lab experiment in a specimen jar?"

"Just pretend I'm not here."

"Right that's gonna be easy."

Sam didn't move instead he rocked the chair onto its back legs, balancing his weight with his extra-long legs against carpet on the floor.

_Serve him right if he overbalances and falls on his ass_.

Dean soon tired of watching Sam watching him and after a while he started to feel drowsy and he let his eyes drift shut and amazingly he slept, awakening some three hours later feeling remarkably refreshed and ready to face a night of hard poker.

It was ten o'clock when they entered _**BEEFYS' BAR**_. There were a dozen or so people drinking at the bar and the polished wooden topped tables. A haggard looking skeleton like waitress was clearing the tables. They made their way to the bar where the large bartender with a very bloated and puffy red face and wearing a dirty apron stained with beer and Dean didn't want to know what else was drying beer glasses with an equally dirty and stained towel.

"You must be Beefy?" Dean said to the man.

"Might be, who wants to know?" He asked without looking up from drying the glasses.

Dean ignored the question saying. "Well Beefy… if you are Beefy?" Dean pointed a finger for emphasis at the large man. "I heard you got a poker game on tonight thought you might have room for another player?"

The man continued his drying but finally looked up at Dean. He examined him with beady eyes taking in the short light brown hair, green eyes, leather jacket over a black his t-shirt before glancing at the crutch Dean had propped against the bar next to him.

A look that rated Dean as an easy mark crossed his round, ruddy face. "_You_ wanna play poker?" His tone insulting.

"You got a problem with me playin' poker, Beefy?"

Sam up spoke for the first time, "Dean." It was a warning for Dean to cool his heels and not to get into trouble before he even got into a game.

Dean pinned Beefy with his eyes and it was Beefy who broke the eye contact looking away towards the back of the bar he called out, "Hey Smiddy you got room for another one?"

"Sure thing Beefy, Priceys' a no show."

Without another glance or a word Beefy moved away down to the other end of the bar.

The brothers turned looking into the poorly lit gloom at the back of the bar.

In the shadows Dean could see a round poker table set up, a naked light bulb hanging from above over the center of the table throwing light onto the two men seated there a third man standing beside the table took a few steps out of the lighted area and into the dimness of the bar. Dean assumed this to be Smiddy.

Smiddy also gave Dean the once over before saying. "You got a hundred bucks to buy in kid?"

"Sure." Dean answered.

Smiddy continued his appraisal of Dean for a few more seconds before turning back to the poker table. "Well kid you comin or what?"

Dean pushed his arm into the arm support of the crutch rising from the bar stool. He glanced over his shoulder at Sam. "Friendly bunch and what's with the names, Beefy, Smiddy, Pricey, maybe I should tell em my names Deany and they'll accept me with open arms."

Sam gave Dean a pained smile. "Just stay outta trouble and give em hell." Turning away he made his way to one of the tables, sitting where he could clearly see his brother.

Dean threw his jacket over the back of the empty chair and seated himself facing side-on to Sam. Sam wanted to be close enough to observe proceeding but not too close; he ordered a beer from the passing waitress and settled in to watch Dean win the next few weeks rent.

Dean threw $100 in crumpled notes onto the table the dealer pulled it in pushing a small pile of chips towards Dean before shuffling and then distributing the cards to the other players; the game was underway.

Sam didn't know if Dean lost the first hand purposely to lull them into a false sense of security noting the smiles and looks of satisfaction shared around between the other three men at the table,

Dean had seen the looks. _Time to go in for the kill._

Sam had given Dean the cash he had been holding for the motel rent plus another $35 he had scraped up from his wallet and with Dean's $48 that meant Dean was just shy of $250 to bet with.

By the time the game was over three hours later well after 1am Dean had attracted an audience of the other patrons left in the bar. Sam was still nursing his first flat and now warm beer when Dean stood up stiffly from the table.

His legs had stiffened while he had been seated pain shooting down to his toes when he stood pushing his chair away from the table. He stuffed his winnings into the pocket of his jacket as he took it from the back of the chair slipping his arms into the sleeves. His eyes skimming across all three men still sitting around the table scattered with empty glasses, beer bottles and discarded dog-eared playing cards. They stared back at him the same stunned but angry expression's on their collective faces. Dean read it as: _how did we get beaten by the kid with the old leather jacket and a gimp_? "It's been a pleasure doing business with you… _gentlemen_." Dean smiled as he spoke with added emphasis on the word gentlemen.

The audience had now dispersed. Dean smiling took up his crutch turned away from the stunned men making his way slowly to where Sam was getting to his feet his brother's face a pale blob in the dim lighting of the now almost empty bar.

Dean shot a glance over at the bar but Beefy was nowhere to be seen. The bar was tended by the skinny waitress who had served drinks at the poker table and sodas to Dean having kept his promise to Sam not to drink any alcohol. "Ready to split this dive Sammy?"

"I've been ready since we walked in, Deany." Then a quiet aside as they turned towards the exit. "How much d'you win?"

"Eleven hundred, like pickin' low hangin' fruit." Dean said as Sam stepped into stride beside him.

Dean felt the hostile hate-filled eyes of the men he had just given a poker lesson to boring a hole in between his shoulder blades right through his leather jacket his back. The feeling suddenly cut off by the closing of the bar door behind them.

"They looked pissed at you, man." Sam said with a laugh in his voice as they walked toward the Impala across the small parking lot.

"Yeah, let's get outta here Sammy before they come after us with a baseball bat."

The car doors closed with the usual familiar squeak, Sam turned the key in the ignition, at the same instant the door of Beefy's was flung open with such force it bounced off the wall beside it and back into the three inebriated poker players. They bumbled together in the doorway getting in each other's way before stumbling one by one out into the cool early morning air of the bars parking lot, their overheated angry breathing sending clouds of white into the air around their heads. One of them was clutching a baseball bat.

"Damn it. Here they come." Sam said.

Sam felt rather than saw Dean glance towards him in the dark interior of the Impala; Sam knew the look without seeing it, it said _get us the hell outta here_. Sam put the car into gear and floored the accelerator, the big car responded instantly and sprang forward like the animal it was named after. As the three men ran forward, Sam turned the wheel steering the big car towards the road, showering the four men with small pebbles that made up the surface of the bar's parking lot. They stopped dead in their tracks as the pebbles hit any exposed skin, leaving them standing in the Impala's wake panting with anger, frustration and too much alcohol. The man carrying the bat hurled it at the retreating tail lights missing the bumper by yards. They watched the car turn onto the road, the tail lights of the big car seemed to wink at their pathetic attempt at pursuit as it headed away from the bar.

_**To be continued…**_


	6. Chapter 6

The Beast With No Name

_By Silvertayl 57_

**Authors Notes:**

Well here is chapter 6 at last. So sorry for the delay... real life is a bi#*^

**Chapter 6**

_**Econo Lodge Prineville, Oregon**_

It was raining and cool the sky leaden and dark with the promise of a lot more rain to come as at the end of that same morning Sam went into the motels office some of Dean's winning shoved into his pocket to pay for the room for the next two weeks, Dean was waiting for his brother in the car.

At least their immediate cash flow problem was now solved, thanks to Dean's excellent poker skills.

Through the rain splattered passenger side window of the Impala Dean could see Sam's fuzzy, rain-blurred outline, he was smiling as he talked with the elderly owner, Dean drummed his fingers on the worn leather of the seat beside him, impatient to be away to the market to get much needed edible supplies. Which he'd already informed Sam would include the largest bag of peanut M&Ms that Dean could find. _Hurry up Sam or I'm gonna slide over behind the wheel, drive myself and leave your sociable ass behind._ Not yet allowed to drive Dean was frustrated at not being able to get behind the wheel of his baby and having to rely constantly on Sam to take him everywhere. He longed to feel the familiar grooves of the steering wheel under his hands, to feel the big car respond as he pressed down on the accelerator, to be back on the highway with AC/DC's Back In Black blearing out of the speakers as they headed out to their next hunt.

At last Sam finally exited the office and started towards the car, Dean heard the ring tone of Sam's cell phone, muffled inside the car. Sam's steps slowed as he pulled his phone from his pocket looking down at the caller ID he continued towards the car seemingly oblivious to the steady falling rain. Sam smiled as he answered the phone, listening to the unknown caller for a few long seconds before he stopped his facial expression changing to a look Dean l as disbelief. Glancing towards the car and seeing Dean watching him Sam spun on his heel and turned his back, taking a couple of steps back towards the office, his voice low as he spoke with the caller.

Dean waited growing more impatiently for Sam to finish his phone call. _Come on Sam get the lead out._

As Sam stepped into the rain from the warm, dry office his phone started to ring, continuing towards Dean waiting in the Impala he glanced at the caller ID a smile curving his lips as he answered, "Hi Tarni how's it goin?"

Tarni's tone sounded rushed and worried, "Sam, it's started again, two campers are overdue."

Sam slowed his steps he looked up, Dean watching him from the Impala. Sam did an about face avoiding Dean's curious eyes.

The healed fading scars from the beast's teeth felt suddenly raw and itchy.

"Sam, Sam are you there? What should I do, Sam?" Tarni's voice was anxious and strained.

"Have you told anyone yet?"

"Not about the beasts, but Doug knows about the missing campers, we're going out to search now."

"Listen Tarni I don't want you to do anything else, let me know if you find them, if not I'll take care of it first thing tomorrow."

"On your own?" Tarni asked, worriedly.

"Yeah, I know how to deal with it now and how to kill them and I don't want you to be any more involved than you already are, just call when you get back, okay?"

"Are you sure about this, Sam?"

"Yeah I'm sure. Listen I gotta go, I'll talk to you later and be careful out there." Sam disconnected and taking a deep breath turned and walked to the car, his hair and the shoulders of his hooded jacket wet and darker with rain. _Dean's not ready, I can't tell him._

Dean looked askance at Sam as he slid behind the wheel, Sam returned his look, his rain soaked hair hanging over his eyes stuck together in wet clumps, looking like a set of inverted commas.

"You gonna tell me what was that about?"

"The phone call? Nothing." Sam's face belied his denial, his neck was flushed red.

"Didn't seem like nothing, come on spill it."

Sam sighed and looked out the windscreen. "It was Tarni Benton."

"Tarni Benton, and?" Dean said fishing for more information. "She sweet on you?"

Sam's hazel eyes turned to his brother. "No." Sam denied too quickly for Dean's liking.

Seeing Dean's skeptical look at his answer Sam looked away again out the window, "We've been keeping in touch since she you know... helped us. I speak to her quite often okay, and she wanted to know how you were getting on."

Dean knew it was more than that, the look that had crossed Sam's face when he was on the phone before he turned away had said otherwise. "Yeah sure she did."

Sam continued to look out the window, after a minute he turned back to Dean and said. "Thought you were impatient to get to the market, or do you want to keep up the Spanish inquisition?"

Dean smiled at Sam's defensive tone Sam's mood now as bleak as the weather needed lightening. "She asked you out on a date, didn't she? She's sweet on you dude, adding in a childlike sing-song voice. "Sammy's got a girlfriend."

Sam couldn't hide a smile. "Shut up, jerk." He replied to Dean's taunt in typical Winchester fashion, but at least he was smiling now.

Dean's laughter had reduced to the occasional chuckle by the time they pulled into a parking spot outside the market.

An hour before dawn the next day, Sam quietly closed the door of the motel. Dean was sleeping; the pain killers he still needed to take at night made him sleep heavier than usual but Sam didn't want to take the chance of Dean waking and finding him gone before he was well on his way into the forest.

Tarni had rang him when she and Doug had returned from the search for the overdue campers, fortunately for Sam Dean was in the shower so he never heard Sam's cell phone ring which was good as he avoided another round of the Spanish Inquisition. Tarni was unable to locate the missing campers and she suspected the worst as did Sam. Sam knew what had to be done, he had to go and stop this beast from killing again and he couldn't wait it had to be done now, today, and before Dean found out about the new threat in the forest, if he knew what Sam had planned he would be angry for being left out of the loop and insist on coming there was no way he would let Sam go alone. Dean wasn't recovered enough to take on trekking through the forest and hunting this cunning beast. It was better if he went alone and when he got back he could weather the storm of Dean's anger if it meant Dean was safe. Dean would rant and rave at him for putting himself in danger without him to protect him; he would rather face that than have Dean dead at the hands of the beast because his reflexes and usual superb hunting skills were compromised by his recent injuries.

Sam threw his duffle bag onto the passenger seat of the Impala and closed the door as slowly as he could muting the squeak it made, he started the engine and the Impala came to life with its deep grumble sounding to Sam much loader than it normally did, Sam whispered, "Shhhh," to the dashboard, glancing at the motel door expecting any second for it to be yanked open, Dean having been woken by the familiar purr of his baby. When nothing happened Sam gave the car some gas the pulled out of the dark motel grounds and onto the main road heading towards the forest.

When he pulled the car to a halt in the small parking area at the entrance to the forest trail the sky to the east had lightened to the point where Sam didn't need a flashlight to find his way into the forest. It promised to be a fine day all be it a little chilly after the last twenty four hours of drenching rain and lower temperatures.

Sam dragged the duffle bag off the seat and locking the door he went to the boot and rummaged around in the hidden compartment until he found everything he would need to dispose of the beast stuffing everything into the duffle including a shotgun, a tin of lighter fluid and some waterproof matches so once he'd killed it he could get rid of any evidence that it even existed, a flash light just in case he needed it, a bottle of fresh water then he stuffed the pockets of his jacket with extra iron shotgun rounds and pushed his fully loaded handgun into the back of his waistband.

Throwing the duffle over his shoulder he started out along the trail.

Dean was awoken from a deep dreamless sleep by a persistent knocking that was not inside his head but someone knocking on the door; the knocking stopped for a moment as he rolled onto his side and glaring at the offending motel door; the knocking started up again this time accompanied by a high-pitched voice. "Breakfast Mr. Harrison I've brought your breakfast tray."

Dean groaned and yelled at the door. "Just a second."

Looking across the small space to Sam's bed he found it empty. He figured is brother must be in the bathroom, although there was no sound of the shower running, _surely he had heard the knocking? Unless he's taking care of other business in there._

He disentangled himself from the clinging bedclothes and sat on the side of the bed looking around for his crutch, he finally located it where it had fallen half under the bed, bending stiffly to pick it up Dean used it to stand on legs stiff and sore from lying in the same position for too long and stumbled the short distance to the door. He yanked it open to bright sunshine streaming in silhouetting the small middle-aged woman standing there balancing a large laden tray in one hand, the other poised to knock once again on the door, she quickly stopped the forward motion of her hand before she rapped Dean on his bare chest with her knuckles.

He blinked in the brightness and glanced down at the woman's fist still raised four inches from his chest then at the her pixie like face. Her mouth fell open as she took him in. Dean had slept in only a pair of sweat pants last night and she was staring at his broad, muscular chest lightly covered with small groups of freckles, her eyes shifted downwards to the corded muscles across his stomach and then slowly back up past his chest to his well-defined arms and broad shoulders, her eyes taking it all in, by her expression Dean could see she liked what she saw, then her eyes shifted to his face, she smiled and then swallowed before she pulled herself back together, closing her mouth with a snap of her teeth then immediately opened it again saying with a squeaked. "Your breakfast."

Dean turned on his megawatt smile at her reaction to his half naked body the sweat pants riding low on his hips not leaving much to her imagination he pulled the door open wider and stepped to the side so she could bring in the tray, gesturing inside the room with one hand saying. "Please bring it in." She shifted the tray into both hands and moved past him her eyes now lowered to the suddenly very fascinating carpet.

Dean stood by the door and watched as she placed the tray on the table her pixie face flushed red, she moved back towards the door stealing another quick glance from his navel up to his face, before she cleared her throat exiting the room saying a squeaky high-pitched. "Enjoy your breakfast."

"Thanks I'm sure I will." Dean replied With a smile as he closed the door.

Still smiling Dean moved stiffly over to the tray on the table and started rummaging around amongst the contents, calling out. "Sam breakfasts here, your toast is getting cold. Sam... what the hell are you doing in there, have you fallen in the bowl?"

When there was still no answer Dean went to the bathroom door knocking gently before opening it. The room was empty. "Huh, he must have gone out for something, maybe some decent coffee God knows the sludge they give you here sure isn't coffee."

Moving back through the room to the motel door his legs had started to loosen up now he was moving around.

The parking space in front of the room was empty the Impala conspicuous by its absence. "That coffee better be hot," Dean closed the door and went back to table mumbling. "And now I'm talking to myself, I need to get out more."

Dean munched away on his breakfast waiting for Sam to return. He had finished his share of the breakfast saving Sam some cereals, fruit and toast and some delicious local honey. Dean had finished and Sam still wasn't back. Pulling back the curtain he looked out still no sign of Sam or the Impala.

An hour later Sam still had not returned and Dean was starting to worry.

Dean had showered, shaved and dressed the pixie breakfast lady had returned for the breakfast tray. This time she had timidly knocked at the door and after he called for her to come in, she had shyly ventured through the door, looking somewhat disappointed Dean was fully clothed she removed the tray with Sam's untouched breakfast on it.

After repeatedly trying Sam's cell number and failing each time to even get a signal, he went to the office and asked if they'd seen Sam this morning.

"No not this morning." Was the polite reply.

With worry really starting to take hold Dean went back to the room and tried Sam's cell again, still no signal. Using his crutch he paced the room until his legs started to pain and cramp. Needing a distraction from his growing fear that something was wrong he sat on the bed and turned on the TV, trying to find something to take his mind off of Sam's mysterious absence.

The 10am news came on; nothing much interested Dean until they came to the Prineville local news. The first story had him sitting up and listening intently.

_There is still no sign of two missing campers in the Ochoco National Park, missing now since Wednesday when they failed to check in at the Ochoco Rangers Station. Park Rangers Doug Jones and Tarni Benton led a search party yesterday into the Ochoco Forest, but failed to locate the two and grave fears are held for their safety. Ranger Jones said he feared that a rogue grizzly suspected to weigh around 900 pounds, responsible for 37 deaths in the forest going back fifteen years and near fatal attacks on two brothers in the same area of the forest nearly 10 weeks ago has returned to feed in that area of the National Park and is warning locals and anyone intending to camp or hike in that area of the forest to postpone their planned trips until further notice. Ranger Jones added that further information will be available by contacting the Ochoco State Forest Rangers Station._

Dean felt his stomach clench. The phone call Sam had received from Tarni yesterday, all the hedging about why she rang. She was telling Sam about the missing campers, which Dean knew meant one thing there was another beast out there and Sam had gone out to take it on alone. "Damn it Sam What were you thinking? You know better than that." But Dean knew the reason Sam had taken on the hunt alone. _He thinks I'm not ready to hunt yet. _

So Sam had kept it from him and now he was putting himself in danger after Dean had put his own life in jeopardy for the umpteenth time to get him out of the forest alive. "Sam you stupid sonofabitch, if you don't get yourself killed pullin' this stunt, I'm gonna kill you myself."

Snatching up his jacket draped over the back of the chair, Dean strode to the motel door yanking it open with such force he nearly pulled it off the hinges and then he was out in the morning sunshine. He had to get to Sam before the beast did another number on him.

His anxiety and fear for his brother's safety and the adrenaline pumping through his body over-ruled his less than 100% physical condition; he didn't realize until much, much later that he had left his crutch propped against the small lamp table in between the beds.

_**Ochoco State Forest, Oregon**_

Sam was now deep into the forest; he recognized the area around him as being close to where the first of the beasts had pulled Dean from the trail, the rain the previous day had turned the trail into mud making even just walking hard going and very tiring. He stuck to the trail way away from the cliff were Dean had saved him from falling and had himself fallen in a bid to Sam's life.

He reached the spot four hundred yards from where the cave lay hidden by the trees. Here he turned off the trail and made his way to the cave, the beast's lair. Reaching the cave he took out his flashlight and entered, shining it into the dark corners. It was apparent that the beast was not using the cave as the other 2 had so he went back to the trail and continued further into the forest. The ground underfoot was a muddy quagmire causing him to slip and take extra care where he trod. Mud coated his boots making his feet feel like leaden weights and tiring him. At this rate by the time he found the beast he would be too exhausted to lift the shotgun up to kill the damned thing.

As he trudged along eyes darting around looking for any sign the beast was in this area, he thought about Dean and wondered if he had discovered he was missing yet. Sam glanced at his watch it was after ten already so there was every chance that Dean had discovered his absence. Dean would be worried sick and would search and knowing his brother it wouldn't take him long to figure out where Sam had gone. But Dean wasn't allowed to drive yet and even if he could he had no transport Sam had taken the Impala.

The motel parking lot was empty except for one car, a white Honda about ten years old, all the other motel guests had vacated their rooms and left to continue their journeys to where ever it was they were heading. Sam and he were the only long term guests the motel had at present, where the owners of the Honda were Dean didn't know and didn't care he was going to borrow their car for a while with or without their permission.

He went to the Honda and tried the door handle, locked; typical the only car within a mile radius was locked. Dean took a quick look to see if anyone was about, the cleaning lady's trolley was outside the open door of a room three doors down from theirs, but apart from the trolley there was no one in sight, he reached into his jacket and pulled out the lock pick he always carried since Sam and his run-in with The Benders, he inserted the pick and after a couple of seconds heard a click as the lock opened. He slid into the driver's seat gingerly pulling his aching legs inside; reaching under the dash he yanked the wires down stripped the insulation off and quickly joined two of the wires the engine fired and he was in business. Dean hadn't driven since before the fall and it felt strange to be behind the wheel of a car again, after ten weeks, and a car that was not his baby, but the Honda was an automatic transmission so it shouldn't be hard, after all Dean could drive just about anything and had done on numerous occasions.

He was at the parking lot at the entrance to the forest around thirty minutes later, his baby was the only car there, Dean parked the Honda next to it and got out, he went to the trunk and had to use the lock pick on his baby, seeing as how Sam had the keys with him. Dean found a shot gun and some iron rounds left in the hidden compartment, he stuffed the two rounds into the shotgun and the rest into his pocket and tucked his new Colt 1911 .45 into the back waistband of his jeans, he pushed the Bowie knife through his belt at the front of his waist, he should be better prepared than this to take on one of those beasts but lack of time and the urgency of the situation told him what he had found in the trunk would have to be enough, he had to get to Sam as soon as possible.

As he headed into the forest he spotted footprints embedded in the muddy trail that could only be Sam's. Unwittingly Sam had left him a trail to follow, it was a little further on when Dean became aware of the throbbing pain in his legs, reminding him then that he had left his crutch back at the motel where it was of no use to him now, but there was no way he was going back now he was on Sam's trail and he would find him before Sam found the beast or the beast found Sam.

_**Ochoco State Forest, Oregon**_

Sam felt his frustration and his physical exhaustion growing with every step that he took. It was after noon and the midday sun was hot a trickle of sweat ran through his hair sliding down the side of his head. He was yet to see any signs that the beast was nearby. His boots were so caked in heavy mud he felt like they were made of concrete. Now he knew how someone who had gotten on the wrong side of the mafia felt before they took a long walk off a short pier wearing a nice set of handmade concrete shoes. He didn't know how much longer he could keep this up, he needed to take a break and rest for a while, he had traveled further into the forest than he had the last time he was here with Dean none of the landscape around him seemed the slightest bit familiar. Mind after a while one tree started to look much like another. But he had stuck to the trail so he should be able to find his way back without too much trouble.

About thirty yards further on Sam rounded a bend in the trail there was a rocky slope covered in stunted trees ascending up on the right side of the trail, despite its height at this time of day the rise cast very little shadow across the trail. Rainwater from yesterday's heavy rain making its way down from higher up, trickling in a steady stream down the slope and across the muddy trail, creating a mini stream about two yards across and four inches deep. The trail he had traversed so far had started to dry out in the midday sun but here it was still slippery and more dangerous.

He had to get this done today, because if he went back without finishing the job, Dean would find out where he had been and he would insist on coming with him to finish the job tomorrow, and he couldn't let that happen.

Carefully he stepped into the mini stream making his way through the water. The water soaked through to his socks washing some of the clinging mud away from his heavy boots. He was about two thirds across when disaster struck; he slipped on a loose stone hidden from view under the water turning his ankle. He heard his ankle snap and felt a sharp pain stab through the joint. He cried out , the weight of the duffle bag over his shoulder dragged him sideways and sent him crashing painfully onto his left hip and into the icy cold water, his face half in and half out of the water soaking his left side and the duffle bag.

Sam lay gasping, trying to make a mental assessment of any injuries, both boots and the whole of one side was soaked, his left hip was throbbing where it had collided heavily with the ground under the water. But Sam didn't think there was too much of a problem there. He tried to get his feet under him and rise out of the cold water, gingerly he put weight on his left foot pain shot through his ankle causing him to fall back into the water with a stifled cry. _Damn it that's not good._

There was no way he was getting out of the water on his feet he'd have to crawl out on his belly.

Sometime later and now completely soaked to the skin and caked in mud he lay panting off to the side of the trail his back pressed up against a tree. With some reluctance he took stock assessing how badly his ankle was damaged, already Sam could feel the boot tightening as the ankle began to swell. He moved the ankle experimentally and felt bones grinding together instantly awakening pain, Sam let out another anguished cry. This was more than a sprain it was definitely broken, the broken bones grinding together with every small movement of the foot or ankle, and everything in the duffle bag was wet through, the matches now useless.

_What the hell am I gonna do now? _He was in big trouble, deep in the forest with a broken ankle no form of communication and a murderous, carnivorous, highly intelligent beast somewhere nearby, no doubt looking for its next meal. By taking a bad step on a god damned rock, Sam was serving himself up to be that next meal. _Dean's gonna kill me._

Sam's footprints led from the trail at the spot where Dean had been dragged off the trail in what seemed like a lifetime ago. Dean figured Sam had gone to look in the cave the beasts were using as a lair, where he had killed the first beast. Dean left the trail and a few minutes later emerged from the trees near the cave entrance, he crept forward as quietly as he could in case the remaining beast was nearby or even in the cave, finding it harder and harder to ignore the ever increasing pain in his legs, even using a sturdy tree branch he had found a mile or so back as a kind of crook the pain was getting worse. His legs were sending him signals that he was hearing loud and clear. They were saying enough is enough, walking for miles through the forest along a muddy trail is not what healing broken legs should be subjected to.

He needed to rest, but if he sat down and rested now his legs would stiffen up and he would not be able to get back up again and resume his search for Sam and he had to find Sam. _Take care of Sam; keep him safe,_ his lifelong mantra since the age of four on repeat play going round and round in his head. Although Sam was making it kinda difficult going off into the forest without him and not even leaving him some kind of clue as to where he was going, and Sam was supposed to be the intelligent college boy, "Damn it Sam," he muttered under his breath. If Dean hadn't of seen the news report he would still be in the motel waiting and wondering, driving himself crazy with worry.

Reaching the entrance to the cave he was leaning more heavily on his make-shift cane with every step. He lifted the loaded shotgun and peered into the dark interior of the cave, realizing only then that in his haste he had not picked up his flashlight from the trunk of the car. He took a few hesitant steps into the cave and waited for his eyes to adjust to the darkness, after another minute or two of stumbling around in the darkness it became obvious the cave was empty and that neither Sam nor the beast were in here.

He made his way back to the trail even more slowly and painfully. The pain in his legs now radiating from his feet and ankles past the places where Dr. Dixon had inserted the titanium plates and screws and up over his knees and into his thighs.

He again followed Sam's footprints where they rejoined the muddy trail. Dean's determination to find his brother before a disaster befell him in the shape of a beast or another one of many disasters that could occur here deep in the forest was the only thing keeping him moving forward step after agonizing step and now added to that his shoulder was starting to hurt from using the crook in that hand and putting some of his body weight through that arm and shoulder.

As Dean walked on the pain that now seemed to be everywhere made him nauseous and lightheaded, earlier he'd tied his jacket around the back of his waist by the sleeves, his t-shirt was now clinging to him as it absorbed the perspiration that had broken out all over his pain wracked body, he wiped at the salty moisture as it gathered on his forehead with the back of his hand almost bashing himself in the face with the shot gun held loosely in that hand, a drop of perspiration every now and again escaping to drip into his eyes making them sting, burn and blur.

A little further along he came to a bend in the trail, he was now walking so slowly that Sam could easily have walked to the Washington State border and back before he even made it half a mile. Dean stopped for a second to get his breath back the pain causing his breathing to come in shallow pants. To his right was a waterfall created by the rain from yesterday sliding down a rocky slope covered in scrubby trees, it met the trail a few feet in front of Dean, rushing in a steady determined flow across the trail carving deeper channels through the mud covering the trail.

Bending awkwardly at the waist he lay the shotgun down beside him scooping some of the water into his cupped hand, greedily drinking the cool refreshing water before it slid through his fingers, water was something else he had neglected to bring in his haste to get to Sam. He splashed some onto his face the water clearing the sweat from his face and out of his eyes, small cool trickles gliding down his neck were quickly absorbed into the neckline of his already damp t-shirt the water also helped to clear the fuzziness from his head, the nausea however remained.

Feeling somewhat refreshed he was ready to challenge the mini stream. At that moment it could have been the raging Colorado River. He took another deep breath picked up the shotgun and shifted it and his crook into the opposite hands, then using the crook for support and to gauge the depth and evenness of the ground beneath the water he slowly picked his way across to the other side.

His boots and the ragged hems of his jeans were soaked through by the time he reached the other side of the running water, the treacherous crossing made a little easier with the use of his crook. Dean noticed marks in the mud, marks like someone or something had dragged itself out of the water and off to the side of the trail, his eyes followed the marks to the trees bordering the trail. Whoever or whatever had rested here against one of the trees and then had dragged themselve further off the trail. The marks didn't look deep enough or wide enough to be the beasts but Dean knew he couldn't rule out that the beast was somewhere there in the trees.

Dean lifted the shotgun and moved into the trees as cautiously and stealthily as he was able too, pushing aside branches blocking his path.

It was about 30 feet in he found him. He was pointing a shotgun identical to his own at him. A long finger curled around the trigger. The face at the other end of the shotgun as familiar to him as his own, his mouth was pulled into a grim, pained line. He had found the very person he had been searching for, the most important person in his life. His pain-in-the ass little brother, he had found Sam.

Sam's mouth opened to say something in the same moment relief hit Dean along with pain, nausea and lightheadedness. It overwhelmed him forcing him to his knees, adding the extra pain of his legs contacting the ground. That was the straw that broke the camel's back a black curtain came down in front of his eyes, wiping out Sam's combined expression of surprise, relief and worry, muting the sounds of the forest as consciousness faded away.

Sam's finger tightened on the trigger of the shotgun he had pointed up at the large quivering branch separating himself from whatever was approaching. His hunter instincts alerting him to the approach however stealthily, the branch quivered and moved down and away to be replaced by the much loved and familiar somewhat startled green eyes of his big brother pointing a shotgun at him in an almost mirror image of his own. Dean was here in the forest, he had found him.

Sam opened his mouth to say something but no words came. Because in front of his eyes Dean went down on his knees a glazed look came into his eyes before sliding shut, the shot gun and long thick stick he'd been carrying fell from his suddenly limp hands and he toppled sideways onto the leaf covered ground and lay still.

His broken ankle forgotten and without knowing how he got there Sam was beside Dean in an instant with Dean's head cradled across his thighs, Dean was pale and sweaty his dreaded freckles standing out against the waxy pallor of his skin. Sam gently tapped Dean's cheek trying to wake him. "Dean, hey Dean, wake up man."

Sam's gentle coaxing was rewarded when Dean's long, sooty eyelashes fluttered a couple of times and his eyes drifted opened to reveal pain filled green irises, that immediately focused on Sam's face.

Sam gave him a crooked smile as Dean launched into a weak, breathless sounding tirade. "Sam you stupid stupid son of a bitch, what were you thinking coming out here alone? I'm glad you beast didn't get you because I'm gonna kill you myself."

Sam placed his palm on Dean's hair his smile broadening, he said. "Nice to see you too."

Dean's brow furrowed and Sam felt he was going to pull away from his touch, but to Sam's surprise he didn't.

"You alright?" Dean asked, before Sam answered he continued, "Why didn't you tell me there was another one, we could have hunted it together."

"You're not ready to hunt yet, it's killed again it couldn't wait. I have to end this."

Dean focused on Sam's first comment. "Are you kiddin me? I'm not ready to hunt? You did a bang up job of keeping me out of this Sam. If you hadn't noticed I am hunting. I was worried sick Sam, you stupid moron, did you think I was gonna sit around the motel without trying to find you."

"You shouldn't have come after me, but I'm glad you did."

"Well I'm here now so help me up and let's get the hell outta here." Dean tried to lever himself up and off Sam's legs, rolling away from his brother.

"I would but slight problem." Sam ventured hesitantly.

Dean leaned up on one elbow his body half turned toward Sam, at Sam's statement his eyes narrowed, Sam still hadn't moved.

"What problem?" Dean asked, suspiciously.

"I umm broke my ankle, I can't walk." Sam looked sheepish and wouldn't meet his brother's eye.

"Come on...that's just freakin terrific, you see what happens when you try to do these things without me, anything else I should know about?"

"Only one, I haven't found the beast yet, it's still out there.

The adrenaline that had kept Dean on his feet had drained away leaving him limp and exhausted. At the moment he didn't think he would be walking out of here today, also there was no way he could support Sam to help him down and Sam couldn't help him. He could fashion a travois from the bits and pieces laying around the forest. But there was no possibility he could pull Sam's 6'4" solid frame all the way back to the car, it was impossible he could barely stand and support himself now, the pain was right up there only a few rungs below the pain he had felt when he first woke in the hospital. He sent up a silent prayer that all the rehab work he had done over the past few weeks hadn't been undone that he had done no permanent damage to the fragile newly knitted bones of his legs. He needed to rest for a few hours at the very least and it was already late afternoon the sky had darkened considerably in the past few minutes heralding the night and no way he was gonna attempt to walk out in the dark, rested or not.

The first thing Dean had to do was take care of Sam's ankle s best he could until they could get medical attention. He found two reasonably straight, sturdy tree branches close by then tipped the contents of the duffle onto the ground before using his Bowie to rip the it into strips before splinting Sam's ankle securing the sticks with the strips of duffle, talking as he did so trying to keep Sam's mind off what he was doing.

"Hey Sam why didn't you stay on the trail?"

"I thought it might be safer in the trees away from the trail."

"Safer? That makes sense, because anyone that was looking for you would be able spot you so easily hidden in the trees." Dean said sarcastically.

Sam draw in a sharp breath as Dean tightened a strip of the thick fabric around the ankle of his boot.

"Sorry."

Sam lifted one side of his mouth in a lopsided smile. "When you put it like that it does seem pretty damned stupid."

Dean sat back admiring his handiwork. "That should give it some support."

"Thanks." Sam answered before leaning his head back against the tree.

He had left Sam's boot on the swollen joint to give it more support and to try to get the boot off would be nearly impossible and would be too painful, not only for Sam but for Dean as well. Because, to spite his threats of murder he didn't want to hurt his little brother.

Dean turned stiffly to sit back beside Sam, their shoulders touching.

"So Tarni is the only one who knew you were coming out here?" Dean asked, handing the water bottle to Sam and then taking a drink before re-sealing the li. Thankfully the nausea he'd felt earlier had passed now that he had stopped putting stress on the heeling limbs.

"Yeah, she will probably try to ring my cell later to see what happened, when she gets no answer she will realize something went wrong."

"But she wouldn't come looking until tomorrow right?"

"I guess?"

"Well it looks like we have to stay here the night then?"

"And what if our friend comes looking for dinner?"

"Don't worry Sammy we've got enough rounds to kill the sucker and put an end to this for good."

Dean glanced at the luminous face of his watch, it was after ten. He could just make out the pale blur of Sam's face in the darkness. Sam had fallen asleep a couple of hours ago the hard going of a six hour walk through the mud had taken its toll, exhaustion finally dragging him down into a restless slumber his head at an awkward angle that spoke of pain and stiffness on waking. The shotgun held loosely in the hand peeking out from the hem of Dean's old leather jacket he had draped over Sam's shoulders and torso earlier. Dean was himself exhausted shooting pains pushing up and down his shins his shoulder throbbing, pulsing pain up his neck and down his arm keeping him from resting, not that he would have slept anyway now that he had to protect Sam yet again until help arrived in the form of a pretty dark haired forest ranger. Looking at Sam like this Dean felt his anger at his brothers recent actions dissipate on the chill evening breeze, sending an involuntary shiver down his spine. He was trying to ignore the need to pee that had been building for the last little while. Dean picked up the water bottle and shook it, the bottle was empty, he threw it back down in disgust and using the tree on an exhale of breathe levered himself to his feet stifling a groan of pain and a sudden dizziness. He would take a leak and then he would fill the bottle from the water flowing across the trail. _Out one end in the other. _And besides Sam would be thirsty when he woke, the least he could do would be to have some water for him to drink.

Making sure his handgun was still tucked in the back of his waistband he picked up the water bottle he had discarded moments earlier and his shotgun. With a glance at Sam to make sure he was still sleeping Dean moved away from their makeshift camp, took care of his urgent business, then headed off towards the trail. Breaching the canopy of the trees Dean paused glancing up and down the trail. The moonlight showed the trail to the left where the rain water runoff flowed across it and to the right the empty trail snaked away into the night, nothing there that he could see ready to pounce on him.

He took one step towards the water and stopped abruptly, something didn't feel right, the back of the neck prickled with a feeling he was being watched. The forest was quiet... too quiet no sounds of night birds or the rustle of nocturnal animals moving through the undergrowth. He turned in a slow circle, nothing moved and the silence was deafening.

A sudden need to check on his little brother struck him and he turned quickly back towards the trees.

The silence was broken by a stirring of the leaves on the branches of trees overhanging the trail directly above him, shooting a look upwards Dean caught a glimpse of lime-yellow eyes as a dark mass hurtled out of the darkness landing with bone jarring force on his shoulders sending a lightning bolt of pain through his newly heeled shoulder, and a cry of agony from his lips, his knees buckled under the weight forcing him down onto the ground on his stomach at the edge of the trail, the water bottle and the shotgun jolted from his hand.

Winded and pinned like a bug his consciousness dipped alarmingly.

Dean could feel all four of the beasts claws piercing the skin of his back through his t-shirt and jeans, one clamped on each shoulder blade and the other two sinking further and further into the skin of his lower back, every passing second as the claws sunk in deeper more agonizing than the previous.

The beast continued to sit on his back snarling and slobbering warm saliva over the back of his neck he was aware he had lost his shotgun. He could see it lying just out of reach of his outstretched hand.

As the weight of the beasts body pressed further down onto his back he felt the jab of his pistol into the small of his back, he slid his outstretched across the ground reaching up behind his back in hope of getting a grip on the pearl handle and a shot into the beast. But all he could grasp was the wiry hair on the side of the beast's belly where it was now pressed against him, there was no way he could slide his hand in between himself and the body of the beast. The pressure of the muscular, solid beast against his back was constricting his lungs robbing Dean of the little strength he had left and black spots danced in front of his eyes, he was losing consciousness. Above the pounding of the blood rushing past his ears Dean heard the beast give a bellow of triumph then felt the beast's hot rancid breath against the side of his face a second before its teeth sank into the flesh near his jugular vein. Dean cried out in agony the black spots filling his vision blossomed into a solid mass. As he slipped into the waiting arms of darkness he thought he heard a loud reverberating bang that seemed to send him over the edge blocking out all sight and sound.

_**To be continued…**_

Thanks for reading. Please review.


	7. Chapter 7

**The Beast With No Name**

**A Supernatural Story by: Silvertayl 57**

**Authors Note:**

**I am sorry for the delay in posting this chapter of TBWNN. The last 2 months have been some what tumultuous and sad, due to my dear Mother's hospitalization in late August and then her passing on September 3 I haven't had the time or the inclination to write, but I'm back at it now, so I hope the wait is worth it. I will also be posting chapter 8 the concluding chapter now so you won't have to wait for that one.**

**The beefed up revised version of the revised version (no that's not a double up) of A Door in Time is now posted on my LiveJournal page: (replace the.'s with a .) **

**Chapter 7**

_**Ochoco State Forest, Oregon**_

Sam didn't know what had awakened him, but one thing he did know was his neck was stiff and sore from the odd angle it was at. He'd somehow managed to fall asleep, propped up against the tree, he could feel the rough bark digging into the skin of his back through his cotton shirt and t-shirt, he hadn't meant to fall asleep and now he was sorry he had. He moved his head from side to side trying to ease the kinks in the muscles of his neck and shoulders. It was then he noticed he was alone Dean wasn't beside him as he was when he'd closed his eyes just for a minute or so he'd thought. Sam had his shotgun in his hand and Dean's leather jacket was draped across his chest and shoulder's. Sam inhaled in the scent of the worn old leather mixed with Dean's aftershave the combination a familiar smell that always reminded him of Dean and over the years Sam had come to associate with a feeling of safety, comfort and warmth.

Wondering where Dean had gone off to Sam scanned the dark shapes of the nearby trees, waiting... willing Dean to return to emerge from the darkness, he knew he couldn't have gone far, because Sam could tell Dean's shoulder was worrying him and his legs were causing him a great deal of pain when he attempted to walk even the shortest distance.

Then he heard it, snarling coming from the direction of the trail.

Sam's heart leapt into his throat as the feeling Dean was in desperate trouble hit him like a ton of bricks, he spotted Dean's discarded stick lying close by. Sam pushed himself to his feet using the shotgun and the stick, keeping as much of his weight as he could off his broken ankle. Dean's jacket fell into a heap at Sam's feet as he arose, he stumbled forward with a dragging gait making his way as quickly as possible towards the vicious, angry snarling rapidly growing in intensity and volume.

Before Sam had even emerged fully from the trees he saw his brother. Dean was pinned to the ground the beast sitting on back. It was smaller than the first two but much bigger than the average man. All four of its long clawed feet were pushing into Dean's back. Dean's head was turned to the side, the beasts head was close to Dean's face as it continued to snarl and growl. Moonlight bathed the trail with eerie white light Sam clearly see saliva dripping from pointy teeth onto the side of Dean's face and neck. Dean's shotgun was just out of his reach a yard in front and slightly to the side of his prone body. The beast lifted its head and gave a load howl of what sounded like triumph. Sam dropped the stick and raised his shotgun in both hands aiming at the beast's ugly head now lowered close to Dean's throat. It bared its teeth and before Sam could get off a shot it bit deeply into Dean's neck. Dean emitted a cry of agony that was cut off by the report of Sam's shotgun, the shot accompanied by a prayer his aim was good enough to strike the beast and not his brother.

The beast lifted its mouth away from Dean's neck its teeth dripping with his brothers blood emitting another ear-splitting cry this one filled with hurt and surprise, Sam's shot had hit it in the side of the neck sending out a spurt of blood that splattered down on Dean's now frighteningly motionless back.

The beast's lime-yellow eyes flew to Sam as he fired the second barrel, hitting its jutting forehead a large hole appearing there showing the passage of the bullet another spurt of blood erupted from the hole this time spraying across Dean's head and over the ground in front of him. Time seemed to stand still. The beast remained looking at Sam with confusion. Sam dropped the empty shotgun and pulled his handgun from the back of his waistband, took aim and pumped half a clip into the beasts head, when at last the beast let out a dying huff and slumped down on top of Dean it's body almost obscured Dean from Sam's sight.

For the second time that day Sam moved without realizing he had done so and in a moment he was next to the beast where he knew Dean was buried beneath its vile smelling carcass**, **shouting, **"DEAN, DEAN!"** as he pushed frantically at the body trying to roll it away from his brother before its dead weight crushed what life remained out of him.

Fear and determination sent a surge of adrenaline into Sam muscles, giving him the strength of two, he turned his back on the beast and put his back against the side of it bracing his good leg on the ground in front of him and pushed back, after a few agonizingly long seconds he felt the carcass shift away from him; the small movement giving him another burst of energy and adrenaline. He pushed even harder after an exhausting minute or so, that felt to Sam like an eternity the beast finally rolled off Dean's body Sam's momentum kept him moving sending him sprawling onto Dean in place of the beast his back pressed against Dean's.

Hurriedly Sam rolled away to his brother's side breathing heavily from his exertions. Dean was covered in blood his head turned towards Sam, eyes closed and he was so still Sam felt a moment of panic he was too late. His hand shook as laced two fingers to the pulse in his brother's neck holding his own breath as he waited... then he felt it the thrum of Dean's heartbeat beneath his fingertips.

Sam stripped off his shirt in his peripheral vision he saw the water bottle lying a few feet away. Staggering to his feet, his splinted ankle making his steps awkward and slow as he stumbled and limped his way to the water still flowing across the trail, bending slightly scooping up the water bottle on the way, he soaked the shirt in the water, filled the bottle and took them back to Dean still unmoving.

Using the dripping, wet shirt he began to wipe the blood away from the side of Dean's face, the pallor of his skin a worry. Then he ran the wet shirt down his neck and the back of his arms. How much of the blood was Dean's and how much was the beasts? Was the source the blood from Dean? Lifting Dean's ripped ruined and bloody t-shirt Sam saw two puncture wounds from the beasts claws in Dean's upper back and there were two more visible through the rips in Dean's jeans just below the waist the bleeding from all four was minimal. The only other wound that Sam could see was the bite on Dean's neck close to his jugular vein that still oozed dark blood at a steady rate. Sam pressed the shirt now pink with blood against the wound attempting to stem the flow after a minute or so he lifted the shirt away relieved to see the bleeding had slowed considerably.

Wading the shirt into a ball he held it once again to the wound and as gently as he could he rolled Dean onto his back, scanning Dean's chest he couldn't see any evidence that the beast had caused any damage there. A few small spots of blood dotted Dean's t-shirt these it appeared were from the pressure of the beast forcing Dean down against the small sharp rocks at the edge of the trail, Sam lifted the t-shirt and saw small areas of broken skin and some bruising already rising under the skin around them.

With his shirt still pressed to Dean's throat he began to tap Dean's cheek with his free hand, soothing words tumbling one after another out of Sam hoping they would bring him out of unconsciousness and back to him. A minute later Sam was rewarded by a small moan from Dean's lips and a flutter of his long eyelashes.

"That's it Dean open your eyes talk to me come on Dean... **please**."

Maybe it was the please or the tone that did it or that Dean could never deny his brother as with a sharp intake of breath Dean's eyes flew wide open, shifting from side to side before stilling their movement and focusing on Sam.

Sam wasn't surprised by the first words out of Dean's mouth, "Hey…. Sammy…. you…. alright?"

Sam smiled.

Dean had been conscious for only a matter of seconds and already he was in big brother mode. The words of concern for Sam came out with long pauses in between as Dean seemed to be finding it hard to draw a breath. Probably due to the prolonged pressure of the beast on his lungs.

"You're asking me if I'm alright? Are you alright?"

"I'm good… just a little…. winded is all."

"Not surprised that fugly bastard was sitting on you; think you could manage some water?"

"Sneaky bastard… dropped out of the…tree, where's it at... now?" Dean enquired lifting his head looking around trying to locate the beast.

"It's right beside you, but don't worry its dead."

Assisting Dean into a sitting position Sam held out the water bottle the water inside cloudy and a little brown.

Dean took it tipping it against his dry lips he took some small sips.

Sam Was pleased to see that his breathing was easing back to something resembling normal.

Dean sighed as the water eased his dry, aching throat. "Thought I could smell something foul did you …?"

"Yep sure did, I emptied two shotgun rounds and half a clip into it, could say I kinda wasted it."

"Outstanding, now we gotta… burn it."

"You got a lighter?"

Dean smiled, before saying. "In the pocket of my jacket there's a… Zippo."

After a brief argument that Sam quickly put an end to he went back to their camp to get the remainder of their stuff. As he hobbled back into the trees he could still hear Dean insisting he was quite able to do it and Sam should keep the weight off his ankle.

Sam ignored him and kept going.

After Sam had limped back into the trees and unable to take the reek coming off the beast's body Dean had made a valiant effort to get to his feet and put some distance between himself and the evil smelling ugly-assed thing. However that idea was quickly quashed, his legs were weak, shaky and painful and although he knew they weren't re-broken again, the slightest movement caused excruciating pain leaving him light-headed and on the verge of tipping over into darkness. Taking deep breaths he waited for the pain to settle to an almost tolerable level, he then dragged himself to a tree close by trying to keep Sam's shirt pressed to his neck.

When Sam returned a few minutes later Dean had moved away from the beast's sinking carcass and was sitting with his back against the trunk of a tree, his legs held stiffly out in front of him, Sam's shirt still pressed against the wound in his throat. The twenty meter journey had taken its toll, Dean's face was pale, covered in perspiration, his long dark lashes tee-peed together with sweat fanned out against the dark circles beneath his closed eyes, his body racked by shuddering tremors. The hand pressed to the wound on his neck trembled almost imperceptibly.

The touch of fingertips against his face was gentle as they swept the perspiration from his face. Dean wanted to open his eyes. _When did I close them?_ He needed to reassure Sam with words a look or a smile that said: _Everything is gonna' be alright, Sammy._ But he couldn't force his eyes open and he would be lucky to stay conscious, so words, a look or a smile reassuring or otherwise was at this point out of the question.

Sam dropped Dean's jacket and his duffle bag down on the ground and went to Dean's side Lowering himself to the ground he gently wiped the perspiration from Dean's face with his fingertips, Dean's eyes remained closed his mouth pinched into a thin line of pain. Sam then laid his hand against Dean's cheek, willing his big brother to open his eyes to tell him or show him with his those eyes or that quirk of his lips: _Everything is gonna' be alright, Sammy._

Dean's lashes quivered but his expressive eyes stayed closed.

That small movement sent a bolt of guilt through Sam so strong it almost overwhelmed him with its intensity. His brother's current pain and suffering... it was all because of him. _This is all my fault, I should have waited, after almost losing his life only weeks ago, to save me again for the hundredth time in his life, now because of my selfishness Dean is suffering. Of course he would come after me, it's what he does, what he's always done and now look what my stupid, foolish actions have gotten us into now. _

Sam spoke his thoughts in a breathless whisper. "I'm sorry Dean this is all my fault."

At those words Dean's lids lifted and Sam saw pain flare in Dean eyes.

It was the quiet whisper that did it.

With a determined effort Dean forced his reluctant eyes open. Guilt was written all over Sam's face, his lips were pressed into a thin line and tears trembled on the edge of his lashes.

Dean knew that look. God knows he'd seen it enough times. But he also knew how to wipe it away.

"Sam..." His voice sounded like someone had sandpapered his vocal cords, "although coming out here alone was one of the dumbest things you've ever done, and you've done some pretty dumb things lately. I mean come on you're supposed to be the smart one. Sam... I don't blame you for this, I'm glad it attacked me and not you, do you hear me, this guilt trip of yours ends right now... So you gonna torch this stinky son of a bitch, or do you want me to drag my aching butt over there and do it?"

Sam looked at Dean's pale, pain filled face and thought not for the first time just how truly amazing his big brother really was, it took something like the situation they were now in, thanks to Sam, to remind him, and Sam wondered how he could ever forget such a thing.

"How do you do that you always know what to say to make me feel better, even though I don't deserve to feel better about this whole situation." Sam gave a weak, watery smile.

"Oh god you're not gonna hug me are you?"

"Yep, while you're all beat to hell and too weak to protest." With that Sam leaned in and put his arms around his brother's shoulders leaning his head into Dean's, giving him a gentle but firm hug. To Sam's amazement Dean didn't try to push him away he actually returned Sam hug, all be it weakly and when Sam pulled away he thought he saw a hint of moisture in Dean's eyes but he couldn't be sure in the low light of the now descending moon.

Dean cleared his throat looking down. "Okay that's enough of the chick flick moments Sammy, get to and burn that sucker, the smell of that thing is making my eyes water."

"Yeah Dean sure it is."

Sam gathered the lighter fluid, Zippo and a dry branch from the ground nearby, soaking the sinking carcass and the end of the branch in lighter fluid he lit the end using the ever reliable Zippo then threw it onto the carcass. The flames took hold quickly, the smell of burning hair and roasting meat filled the air and assailed their nostril's, where they sat side by side their backs pressed against the tree, shoulders touching; the flames throwing flickering light onto their faces and warming their bodies well into the early hours of the morning until it died down and soon after that, to wisps of smoke rising from the pile of glowing ashes was all that remained of the beast with no name.

-TBWNN-

_**Prineville, Oregon**_

It was the hundredth time since yesterday evening Tarni rang Sam's cell number, and for the hundredth time the same result it went to voice mail. Not being able to get hold of Sam meant she had spent a restless night. So she had risen early showered and dressed and was on the road before 6 am.

She'd driven to Sam and Dean's motel; perhaps Sam's cell phone was turned off? And that was why she couldn't reach him. She needed to put her mind to rest that Sam had returned from the forest in one piece after taking care of the beast. With luck she would find him and Dean tucked up in their motel beds.

The sun was peeking over the horizon in the east as she turned into the motel parking lot only to discover that the there was no Impala parked outside of room No. 7. she pulled the ranger's truck into the empty spot and seconds later was tapping on the door still hoping that they were there. After five minutes of knocking and still no response she gave up and went back to the car, she would go on to the rangers station pick up a radio and some other essentials then mount her own search party for Sam and most probably Dean, she would be long gone before Doug got in at eight. Tarni had a feeling that if she found Sam she would find Dean. She just hoped that she found them in better shape than the last time she had located them out there. _Please God let them be okay._

-TBWNN-

_**Ochoco State Forest, Oregon**_

Shortly after the Beast's body was burned and the fire had died away to ashes, Sam felt Dean's head slip sideways to rest heavily upon his shoulder. Sam at first thought that Dean had lost consciousness, and panicked for a few seconds until he realized that Dean had somehow to spite his injuries and blood loss managed to fall asleep. Sometime shortly after that Sam had also fallen asleep, waking just after sunrise. Dean looked uncomfortable lying half propped up against what Sam now thought of as their tree. Sam maneuvered the still sleeping Dean until he was lying flat and tucked Dean's own jacket around him covering as much of him as he could. It had been a cool night and the early morning seemed even cooler.

Hours later and the air had warmed considerably. The sun shining brightly onto the trail and filtering down through the tree branches causing dancing patterns to play across Dean's pale face. Sam glanced at his watch for the fiftieth time, after midday and no sign of a rescue party arriving. How long would it be before Tarni had discovered he hadn't returned to the motel. Looking at Dean's face in the light of day, a knot of worry tightened in Sam's belly, although the bleeding from Dean's throat had stopped he didn't like Dean's color and his breathing was labored and shallow, his lips cracked and dry and Sam could tell from that alone he was dehydrated. Maybe he should wake him and get him to drink some water? He'd been sleeping for a long time and Sam didn't know if that was a good or bad thing.

Sam didn't feel so hot himself, his head was pounding and his ankle was pulsating with pain and so swollen he was expecting his boot to split wide open at the seams and his flesh to burst out and splatter onto the ground around his foot in a bloody gory mess.

Someone was shaking his arm, gently but insistently, the shaking was then accompanied by a voice. Although Dean couldn't hear what was being said or asked of him, he groaned saying in a sleep roughened voice. "Five more minutes."_ And man that hurts, feels like I swallowed razor blades and this bed... feels like I'm sleeping on an ironing board._

The voice became suddenly clear as the arm shaking continued. "No Dean you need to wake up now and drink something."

"I'll have a Jack, neat and leave the bottle." Dean croaked. Talking made his lips sting.

"Sorry dude all I got is muddy water." The voice replied.

"Muddy Waters, good music."

The voice chuckled, and then said. "Come on Dean open your eyes and take some water, you gotta keep your fluids up."

_Why do I need fluids? _Then it hit him; _Sam missing from the motel, seeing the news report, following Sam into_ _the forest, pain in his legs, finding Sam with a broken ankle, passing out, the beast pouncing on him from up above, pinning him to the ground, pain, trying to reach his gun and knife, the beast biting my throat, passing out again, Sam shot it, more pain, Sam burning the carcass and now more pain._

Dean's eyes flew open at the same time he tried to sit up. He fell back with a hiss of pain his head spinning like a child's toy, a spinning top. He closed his eyes again, shutting out the two second flash he'd seen of Sam hovering above him or rather eight Sam's turning around in a kaleidoscopic like pattern.

The hand that had been shaking him, was now rubbing a smoothing pattern up and down the same limb.

When Dean thought it safe he cracked one eye open, this time there was only one Sam and he was looking at him with concern. "Hey Sammy how's the ankle?" he asked, bravely opening the other eye.

"It hurts, but I'm fine, think you can sit up and take some water?"

Dean saw Sam was holding the uncapped water bottle in his other hand; Dean nodded and began to struggle into a sitting position, he felt Sam's arm snake across the back of his shoulders helping him up. Dean was grateful as he didn't think at that moment he could have done it on his own.

After the painful process was complete Dean was leaning back against their tree, his breathing back under control. Sam then handed Dean the bottle. Annoyed that the hand he reached out towards the proffered bottle was shaking. Gasping the bottle he held it to his stinging lips and tipped the cool somewhat gritty water down his parched throat. Once he started he felt like he could drink an ocean dry. Sam's hand wrapped around his own that held the bottle and pulled it gently away, at the same time saying. "Drink slowly in sips."

Dean gave Sam an annoyed look but complied with Sam suggestion, he put his fingertips up to his still stinging lips, and they came away with smears of red across them. "My lips are bleeding."

"That's why you need to drink, you're dehydrated dude."

Dean noted that the shaking in his hands had reduced as he took another sip of water licking his sore lips trying to work some moisture into the bleeding cracks that covered them.

Dean looked over Sam's shoulder down the trail before he asked. "Any sign of Tarni, yet?"

Sam glanced in the same direction. "No not yet, but It shouldn't b-" Sam never finished what he had been going to say unsure if he was seeing things.

Tarni appeared around the bend in the trail on the other side of the flowing water across the trail that had now reduced to a trickle. Sam looked back to Dean smiling. "The cavalry has arrived."

-TBWNN-

It was an hour later when the medevac helicopter arrived; Tarni had radioed and told them of the situation, also telling Sam there was a clearing about half a mile from here that was big enough for the chopper to set down and the paramedics were going to walk in from there.

As the drone of the helicopter got louder, Sam and Dean were again sitting side by side against their tree. Tarni stood on the trail eyes shielded against the sun looking into the distant sky, Sam glanced at Dean's profile he too looked towards the approaching chopper; Sam noticed Dean seemed to have turned an even whiter shade of pale, if that was possible.

"Dean what's wrong?" Sam asked concerned that his brother had taken a turn for the worst only minutes from rescue.

"It's a helicopter?" Dean said as he looked from the approaching chopper to Sam.

"Yeah so?"

"That means I have to... leave the ground... you know and go up in the air."

Sam was so relieved that help had arrived and they were getting out of here Dean's fear of flying had completely slipped his mind.

"Oh right I forgot," Sam brain was working overtime for of a way to alleviate Dean's fears. "I'll be with you all the way, and hey it's not like it's the first time you've been in a helicopter bro."

"Those other two times don't count." Dean said, looking apprehensively at the nearing chopper.

Tarni was talking to the pilot on the radio, guiding him to their location. They could hear the pilot's tinny sounding voice as he spoke to Tarni.

"Why not?" Sam asked puzzled.

Dean swallowed hard, before answering. "Dude, I was half dead and unconscious, I didn't know I was… you know… up there." Dean pointed his index finger skywards.

In his relief at being found, Sam had completely forgotten Dean's fear of flying. Although Dean would never admit that'd what it was. He would always give the reason why he drove everywhere was that travelling by road was safer and planes crash.

Sam always pointed out that the statistics said otherwise and more people were injured or killed in road accidents then planes.

The helicopter was now overhead, the downdraft pulling at their hair and clothes. It hovered above them for a few moments, as again Tarni used the radio to inform the pilot of the location of the clearing where they could safely set down. The chopper moved away in that direction disappearing over their heads.

Twenty minutes later the two paramedics and the pilot walked towards them along the trail carrying collapsible stretchers and portable medical kit, they largely ignored the large pile of ashes on the trail more intent on treating the brothers. One worked on Sam the other on Dean, they started both on IV fluids, examined the wound on Dean's throat and the puncture wounds on his back, before field dressing them and placing Dean on one of the stretchers. The makeshift splints were removed from Sam's ankle his boot cut off and his puffy swollen and inflamed ankle enclosed in a blow up boot before lifting him onto the other stretcher. The pilot and Tarni assisting the paramedics to carry the stretchers the short walk to the helicopter.

After the two stretchers were loaded in there was no room for Tarni. She would have to walk out, telling them she would see them at the hospital later. Standing well back from the chopper's blades she watched as it lifted off and peeled away in the direction of Pioneer hospital. When the chopper was out of sight and she could no longer hear the engine she walked back to the spot where she had found the brother's, stopping to kick at the pile of ashes that were the remains of one of the beasts that for the last fifteen years had terrorized the town and been responsible for thirty nine deaths. The forest was at last safe once again for people to enjoy, thanks to Sam and Dean; she would be forever in their debt.

-TBWNN-

As the medevac chopper lifted off, tipping at a steep angle before straightening and heading away from the forest, Sam glanced at Dean who lay across the noisy chopper from him. His brother's eyes were screwed together, his jaw clenched tightly, his knuckles white from the death grip he had on the metal edge of the stretcher.

It brought back a memory of when he'd found out about Dean's fear of flying. It was about a year ago; they were working a case where a demon was causing plane crashes. When he had suggested that the only way to stop the demon was to board the plane that was the demon's next target Dean had baulked at the idea, confessing that he had a problem with flying.

"_Why do you think I drive everywhere, Sam?"_ Dean had said to his disbelieving open mouthed brother. When he'd got through to Dean that was their only option they'd boarded the plane. Sam smiled remembering Dean's white knuckled grip on the seats arm rests; just like the grip he now had on the stretchers edge, and then Dean had started humming. Sam recognized the tune.

"_Are you humming Metallica?" Sam asked incredulously._

"_It calms me down."_ Dean had answered without a loosening of his grip on the arm rests.

Sam had known how terrified Dean was that day but still between them they had located the demon possessing the co-pilot, completed the exorcism and the plane landed safely with all passengers and crew alive and well, although the co-pilot was a little singed from the holy water they'd thrown on him, but didn't remember a thing about what happened.

Over the noise of the helicopter the familiar strains of the same Metallica song Dean was humming that day reached Sam's ears, Dean was humming that same song again. In that moment Sam knew Dean would rather face ten of those beasts than be where he was now. Sam decided a chick flick moment was called for, even at the risk of Dean never letting him forget it and bringing it up at the worst possible and most embarrassing of times.

Reaching out the hand not tethered to the IV Sam covered Dean's hand with his own, giving it what he hoped was a comforting squeeze; to Sam's amazement Dean let go of the stretcher and turned his hand into Sam's gripping it in an almost bone-crushing grip. Sam looked from their joined hands to Dean's face and noticed Dean's jaw had relaxed slightly and his eyes were no longer screwed up tight and he could have sworn that Dean's cracked, blood stained lips quivered with the beginning of a smile. Sam's felt his own lips own lips lift in kind… despite Dean's still painful grip. Joining in Sam also began to hum they continued to hum for the duration of the flight. Dean relinquished his hold on his brother's hand only when the helicopter touched down on the roof of the hospital.

_**To Be Continued...**_

Thanks for reading.

Silvertayl 57


	8. Chapter 8

**The Beast With No Name**

**A Supernatural Story by: Silvertayl 57**

**Authors Note:**

**Here is the concluding chapter of TBWNN I hope you enjoy it.**

**Chapter 8**

**Disclaimer:** See Chapter 1

_**Pioneer Memorial Hospital Prineville, Oregon**_

In the ER, Dr. Phillip Stanton was assessing Dean's new injuries and the aggravated older ones, while close by in an adjoining examination cubicle Dr. Sylvia Johnson was examining Sam. Both doctors ordered separate x-rays. Dr. Stanton on Dean's legs, ribs and chest and a CT scan on Dean's recently healed lung. Dr. Johnson ordered x-rays on Sam's ankle; although Sam's ankle was obviously broken they needed the x-rays to see how badly and what course of action to take to repair it.

Dean being Dean kept pestering Dr. Stanton to please go check on his brother. While waiting for Dean's test and x-ray results he did just that; narrowly avoiding colliding with Sylvia in the doorway between the two cubicles. "Sorry Sylvia Dean keeps asking, or should I say demanding to know about his brother."

Sylvia gave a small laugh and glanced back over her shoulder at Sam before turning back to Phillip. "Sam keeps asking me the same thing about Dean he's been driving me crazy."

"You can tell they're brothers alright." Phillip smiled.

"I think they're very close?"

"Yes they are."

A little while later after both brothers' concerns for each other had been alleviated; the test results were all in. As suspected Sam's ankle was broken a clean break and would require a cast that was to remain on for five weeks.

Dean had thankfully done no damage to his legs the plates and screws were still in place and no sign of any further breaks and his ribs were intact, the lung that had been punctured was bruised and just needed time to heal and the previously broken shoulder had some inflammation in the surrounding tissue but was otherwise okay. His throat however was in need of immediate surgery and internal stitches to repair the damage, so while Dean was in surgery Sam's leg was encased in a bright white cast.

The brothers were lucky to get a double room in Sister Anne Malone's ward.

"I thought I told you boys I didn't want to see you back here again?" Her soft lilting accent comforting but firm.

Although she was not happy that they were in need of another hospital stay after another soiree into the forest she was actually pleased to see them, having missed them after Dean had been discharged three weeks ago. The ward although nearly every room occupied with sick and ailing patients had seemed empty, quiet and a little sad.

Three days later the brothers were recovering well. Dean was allowed out of bed for short walks after he was reacquainted with his old friend the walker, which was quite a task considering his shoulder. Seeing him making a valiant effort to keep the back of his hospital gown firmly closed made Sam smile. That Dean managed to achieve this and still maintain some dignity was quite something. Even short walks left Dean breathless and exhausted because of the new damage to his lung. This meant to his chagrin he had to spend a lot of the time in the bed next to his brother.

Tarni had paid them a visit; she had taken their shotguns, duffle, flashlight, Dean's gun and his knife; everything they had left in the forest to her place. She had said it was the best place for their gear rather than the motel as the staff may have come across it when servicing the room.

Being diplomatic Dean had excused himself going for a stroll along the corridor. Sam suspected it was so that he and the dark-eyed, pretty ranger could have sometime to themselves. Sam had taken the keys to the Impala from the draw beside his bed pressing them into Tarni's hand asking her in whispered tones to please move it to a safer place, somewhere away from prying eyes. The reason for the hushed whisper was so Dean didn't know a female was behind the wheel of his Baby.

The authorities from Salem paid them another visit interviewing the brothers again. They had trekked into the forest, accompanied by Tarni and Doug Jones having found the pile of ashes, satisfied that it was the remains of the rogue grizzly bear, responsible for the disappearances and killing in the forest. They were convinced that there would be no more of either, although the last two hikers still had not been located they had left leaving Tarni, Doug, and the other rangers to continue the search and tie up all the loose ends.

It was during Tarni's second visit when she said. "Oh by the way Dean, the couple whose car you borrowed, want to know if you'll be paying for the damage to their vehicle. Seems you picked the lock and hot-wired it." Her dark eyes glowing with mischief.

"The Honda, I forgot about it, tell em I'll pay for the damage, okay?"

Dean could feel Sam's eyes on him from his bed across the room, Dean turned his head in his direction and sure enough Sam was staring at him his mouth agape. "Catching fly's Sammy?" Dean asked dryly.

Sam closed his mouth with an audible snap of his teeth, before saying. "Dean you didn't?" His tone incredulous.

"You're kiddin' right? Of course I did, how else was I gonna get to your dumb ass."

Until then Sam hadn't even thought about how Dean had gotten from the motel to the head of the forest trail. Sam opened his mouth to say something and then closed it again. How could he have forgotten Dean's MacGyver like nature? _Improvise._

Tarni watched the exchange between the brothers with interest and growing amusement. She'd grown very fond of these two over the time they'd been in Prineville; she had an idea swimming around in her head of how to show her gratitude to them for what they had done here.

Three days after Tarni's second visit they were discharged Sam on crutches; he would get the cast removed in four weeks. Dean was using one crutch, mostly for support. Tarni had retrieved it from the motel for him, he would re-commence his rehab next week until the doctors were satisfied that he had fully recovered after his recent set-back. Before leaving the hospital, Dean had settled his account with the Honda owners, who were anxious to resume their honeymoon road trip.

This time there was no arguments when Sister Malone and nurse Pippa arrived with two wheelchairs. Tarni greeted them inside the front doors of the hospital. "Thought you guys might need a lift." She said smiling.

They said goodbye to Sister Malone each receiving another kiss on the cheek, Dean could have sworn he saw a tear in her eye as she turned away to go back into the hospital.

After Tarni brought the truck around to the patient pick-up area, it took a few minutes for them to maneuver themselves into the ranger's truck, Sam's cast, three crutches and Dean's tender, still painful legs, making what should have been a simple task very difficult, eventually they got settled and were on their way to the motel.

Tarni looked at the brothers in the rear-view mirror; a smile crossed her face as she listened to their bickering, and observed their pushing and shoving. "Move over, stop hogging my side of the seat." Followed closely by, "I'm hogging the seat? Dude you ever heard of personal space?" _They sound like a couple of seven year old's._

"Now, now children, be nice." One set of green and one set hazel eyes met hers in the mirror.

It didn't take long to reach the motel, as she pulled the truck into the space outside their room she unveiled her plan. "I've got a spare bedroom, I'd really like you two to stay... until you're ready to leave."

The brothers glanced at each other Dean gave a small shrug as if to say _"Why not?" _So they agreed.

They collected the belongings they still had remaining at the motel and settled up their account. The motel owner said she was sorry to see them go and wished them the best. With all their stuff stowed in the bed of the truck and with more pushing and shoving as they got back in the truck they were back on the road to Tarni's place.

Dean had thought about his Baby often over the last week assuming she was still sitting lonely all by herself in the parking lot at the head of the trail, so it was a pleasant surprise to Dean when they pulled up outside Tarni's small but well-kept pleasant looking house, to see Baby parked in Tarni's driveway.

Dean scrambled as quickly as he could out of the truck, tangling his stiff legs with Sam's extra-long ones, Sam's cast and a multitude of crutches in his haste to get to his Baby.

It was all he could do stop himself from planting a kiss on her hood. He stood beside her running his hand along her sleek black curves, cooing to her, telling her how much he had missed her, until he was interrupted by Sam clearing his throat loudly and then saying. "If you two wanna get a room…?"

Dean looked up; Tarni was standing next to Sam a smile on her pretty face as they watched his reaction to seeing his Baby his pride and joy, a flush of embarrassment stained his throat, making the white bandage there look even more stark in contrast.

"Just checking her paint work, you know looking for stone chips." Dean said as he bent to look at the paintwork, his attempted cover up not very convincing.

Sam and Tarni Looked at each other and then started to laugh, at Dean's and his Baby's expense. "Don't listen to em Baby, they don't understand us." He said lovingly.

-TBWNN-

_**Prineville, Oregon**_

Over the next two weeks they settled in to Tarni's house, she kept a neat home was a good host and a terrific cook. The only drawback was the bunk beds they were forced to use for the duration of their stay. The beds were used by Tarni's nieces when they came to stay, and were kiddie sized and not meant for short men over 6'. The brothers spent the first hour arguing about who had to struggle up to the top bunk, in the end they settled it the old fashioned way with rock-paper-scissors, Sam of course winning as Dean went for his usual, predictable scissors. After struggling up the tiny wooden stairs, Dean spent the first night lying stiff as a board on the tiny top bunk afraid that if he moved around he would tumble out and end up on the floor. After very little sleep, the next day Dean felt lethargic and his back hurt, and he wished he was back in the hospital, _almost. _The only consolation for Dean was that Sam's legs protruded over the end of the bed and because of the cast Sam couldn't lie that way and had to lay half curved on his side with his knees poking out over the side of the bed.

It was at Easter Dean started to get restless to be on the road again, he had been doing his rehab like a good boy and his legs felt almost back to full strength, he had gotten the okay from the doctors at the hospital to drive and had been behind the wheel of Baby for a week now. He hadn't spent this much time in one place for years, not since... Lawrence when he was a kid, before his dad had started hunting and dragging him and Sam around the country seeking out the thing that had killed the love of his father's life and the boys precious mother. It was time to move on. He had been researching some leads on Sam's laptop, there was plenty going on, a possible black dog in Colorado, cattle mutilations in Arkansas, which in his experience meant Vampires a possession in Alabama and what sounded like a werewolf killing in San Francisco all of them needing their special evil hunting skills.

Sam had the cast removed today, which gave them the green light to move on, but Sam had settled in here and seemed to have built a strong fondness for Tarni. It was something like the normal that Dean knew Sam had craved, the search for normal that had sent him away to Stanford and away from Dean for four long years. Dean thought that perhaps Sam didn't want to move on and he had a horrible feeling deep down in his gut that he would be leaving Prineville alone, without his geek boy, research, library lovin' sidekick riding with him.

They were driving back to Tarni's after leaving the hospital; Dean glanced across at Sam and smiled his brother was making serious happy noises while scratching at his cast free somewhat pale ankle, after declaring he had been dying to have a good scratch for weeks, and now he was making up for all those itchy frustrating weeks.

Dean was debating how to bring up the subject of moving on, whether it be on his own or with Sam and had decided that it was best to come out with it and get it into the open. He had opened his mouth to say the words that he thought Sam didn't want to hear, when Sam beat him to it, ceasing his scratching he turned sideways in the seat towards Dean saying. "So… I don't know about you but I'm ready to move on."

Dean was shocked by this revelation, and closed his mouth swallowing the words he was going to say, instead he said. "You wanna move on, you don't wanna stay here?"

"Why would I wanna stay here? Now that I've got the damned cast off, it's time to hit the road."

Dean shot him a quick glance to make sure he was serious, then smiled,"Outstanding when do we leave?"

Dean was delighted with this sudden turn of events, and wondered how he could have been so wrong about Sam not wanting to ride and hunt with him anymore. He had a silly grin on his face all the way back to Tarni's.

Sam had thought he would enjoy being in one place for more than a couple of weeks, and at first he had, but the novelty had soon worn off, and although he really liked Tarni, he wasn't looking for a romantic relationship. He was ready to move on and more importantly he knew Dean was ready to move on and had been since he was able to get back behind the wheel of the Impala. A couple of nights ago Sam had caught Dean researching on his laptop, for Dean to be researching a hunt without being forced into it, sent an unspoken message to Sam that now Dean was almost healed he was getting antsy, Sam shared that feeling with his brother, he too was yearning for the open road and more evil to hunt and he wanted nothing more than to be beside Dean, they would do it together.

Sam looked at Dean's smiling profile; he saw the relief and joy that had swept Dean's features when Sam had said he was ready to hit the road. Did Dean really think Sam wanted to stay in Oregon? If Sam had wanted to stay he knew Dean would have been willing to leave here on his own, but there was no way Dean was going anywhere without him. Sam had left Dean for four years when he went to Stanford seeking a so-called normal apple pie life, as Dean had called it, and leaving Dean then was a huge mistake, the biggest mistake of Sam's life. In the nearly two years they had been back hunting evil together, Dean and he had built a bond stronger than it had been when Sam left for college and Sam would never jeopardize that again, and besides there was nowhere else he'd rather be than with Dean, he was his rock, guardian, provider, savior, protector, hero and so much more. The words Dr. Vasquez had said to Sam in the hospital, the words Sam would never forget were rolling around in his head. _"There's a lot to be said for the power of love, and the special bond that brothers share."_

-TBWNN-

They left Prineville the next day, Tarni saw them off. She gave them both a hug lingering a little with her arms around Sam giving him a chaste kiss on the cheek, trying to hide her tears as she told them for the fiftieth time, how grateful she was for what they done here and if they were ever back this way they were more than welcome at her place.

The car was silent after they left the pretty dark haired, dark eyed ranger each lost in their own thoughts. A few miles after leaving the city limits of Prineville Sam broke the silence when he asked. "So where we headin'?"

Dean stole a glance at Sam before answering. "SanFran."

Sam nodded. "City by the Bay, werewolf right?"

Dean looked again at Sam, surprised. "How'd you know about the werewolf?"

"I'm psychic, remember?"

"Very funny smart ass." Dean answered with no heat or anger in his tone.

Sam laughed at Dean's expression. "I saw you on the computer and to my shock you were doing research into a hunt."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Dean found himself on the defensive.

"Dean you never do research unless you're forced or bored, so I figured you're were bored."

Dean was suddenly serious. "Sam if you'd rather stay, I'll take you back."

Sam shook his head, The breeze coming in the open window causing his long bangs to blow around his forehead. "What makes you think I wanna go back?" Dean didn't answer right away, "Dean?" Sam prompted.

"I don't know, just a feelin'."

"You tryin' to get rid of me dude?"

"No of course not. I thought you liked Tarni... a lot."

"I do like Tarni."

"Enough to stay?"

"Maybe someday."

"But not now?"

"Dean you sure you're not tryin' to get rid of me?"

"No. I just want to make sure you're here for the long haul."

"Dean, man where's this coming from?"

Dean stared out the windshield for a few moments. Sam waited giving his brother the time he seemed to need.

"It's... just... I don't want be on my own again. Okay? Although... you're a pain in my ass I got used to... I like having my little brother around... okay?"

"Dean. There's nowhere else I'd rather be, so I'm gonna stick around and be a pain-in-the-ass if that's okay with you."

"Alright then, that's settled," without taking his eyes off the road Dean smiled, adding. "Bitch."

"Alright then...Jerk."

**THE END**

**Thanks to all who joined me on the long, long journey that The Beast With No Name turned into. To those who just read thank you and for those who read and reviewed an extra special thank you.**

**Please review the final chapter and let me know your thoughts.**

**I will be working on my third completed SPN story Spitting Image, revising and replacing all chapters one by one and I am working on my next story Crossing Paths a Supernatural/Dark Angel Crossover. I am well into chapter 4 but won't be posting chapter 1 until I get further into it.**

**Cheers.**

**Silvertayl 57**


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